Alimony Definition
ălə-mōnē
alimonies
noun
alimonies
An allowance for support made under court order to a divorced person by the former spouse, usually the chief provider during the marriage. Alimony may also be granted without a divorce, as between legally separated persons.
American Heritage
Supply of the means of living; maintenance.
Webster's New World
A means of livelihood; maintenance.
American Heritage
An allowance that a court orders paid to a person by that person's spouse or former spouse after a legal separation or divorce or while legal action on this is pending.
Webster's New World
Money paid after divorce to former spouse for support, usually for a specified period of time, by court order or written agreement. If paid during pendency of the divorce proceedings, referred to as alimony pendente lite. See pendente lite.
Webster's New World Law
Other Word Forms of Alimony
Noun
Singular:
alimony
Plural:
alimoniesOrigin of Alimony
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Known since 1655, from Latin alimonia (“food, support, nourishment, sustenance”) (English aliment, as in alimentary), itself from alere (“to nourish”) + -monia (“action, state, condition”).
From Wiktionary
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Latin alimōnia sustenance from alere to nourish al-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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