Alimonies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

A form of financial support provided by one spouse to another during or after a divorce; payments aimed to help maintain the lower-earning spouse's standard of living post-separation; a legal obligation that can vary in amount and duration based on factors such as length of marriage and earning capacities of both parties
Monetary assistance given to a former partner as mandated by a court following a marital separation; funds intended to ensure that the recipient can meet basic living expenses after the dissolution of marriage; an arrangement that considers various parameters, including the needs and financial situations of both former spouses
Payments made to a former spouse for their support during or after divorce; a financial duty that helps sustain a fair standard of living for the recipient post-marriage; an obligation that is determined by law and can reflect the length of the marriage and the disparity in incomes

Etymology: "Alimonies" is simply the plural of "alimony," so the story belongs to the singular. Alimony traces back to Latin "alimonia," meaning food, support, or nourishment, built from "alere," "to nourish," plus a suffix "-monia" that denotes an action, state, or condition. The same Latin root gave English "aliment," the everyday word for food, and the adjective "alimentary," which still appears in medical terms for the digestive tract. The word has been recorded in English since the 17th century, when it still carried its plain sense of sustenance. A husband's obligation to keep a wife, or a family its dependents, was once simply called upkeep; the legal sense of support paid to a spouse after separation grew out of that same idea of nourishing someone who relies on you. The noun is now used mostly in its legal meaning, and the plural form refers to several such payments or awards.

Synonyms: support payments, spousal support, maintenance, financial support, compensation

Antonyms: dissolution, separation, abandonment, neglect, disregard