Financial payments made to help support a spouse or former spouse during separation or following divorce. Also called spousal support or spousal maintenance.
Alimony (also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia)) is a legal obligation on a person to provide financial support to their spouse before or after marital separation or divorce. The obligation arises from the divorce law or family law of each country. In most jurisdictions, it is distinct from child support, where, after divorce, one parent is required to contribute to the support of their children by paying money to the child's other parent or guardian.
English
Etymology
Known since 1655, from Latin alimōnia (“food, support, nourishment, sustenance”) (English aliment, as in alimentary), itself from alere (“
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