Alimony

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæl.ɪ.mə.ni/

Definitions

1. Monetary assistance required to be given to an ex-spouse after a marriage ends
2. A payment duty that ensures a former partner can sustain their financial well-being following the dissolution of a marriage
3. Money that a person must pay to their former spouse to help support them after a marriage ends

Etymology: Alimony began as a word for food. Latin "alimonia" meant nourishment, sustenance, or support, and it was built from "alere," "to nourish," plus a suffix expressing an action or condition. English took the word in the 1600s, and it kept the sense of plain upkeep for a long time. The same root gave English "aliment," meaning food, and the adjective "alimentary," still used in medicine for the digestive tract. The legal meaning came later. Over time the word narrowed from general support to money a person must pay to a former spouse after a marriage ends. That narrowing is what readers encounter today, though the core idea of providing for someone's living needs has not changed. The same sense of sustaining a person runs from the grocery bill to the court order.

Synonyms: spousal support, maintenance, financial support, support payments, separation allowance