Word
alimony
Phoneticsal·imo·ny
US/ˈæɫəˌmoʊni/
UK/ˈælɪməni/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. money that a person must pay to their former partner after they divorce or separate.
n. a court-ordered allowance paid by one spouse to the other for maintenance following a legal separation or divorce.
Examples
“He pays monthly alimony to his former wife.”
“The judge ordered a significant alimony payment because one spouse had stayed home for years to raise the children.”
“While child support is strictly for the welfare of the offspring, alimony is intended to mitigate any unfair economic effects of a divorce by providing continuing income to a non-wage-earning spouse.”
Examples
simple
“He pays monthly alimony to his former wife.”
contextual
“The judge ordered a significant alimony payment because one spouse had stayed home for years to raise the children.”
complex
“While child support is strictly for the welfare of the offspring, alimony is intended to mitigate any unfair economic effects of a divorce by providing continuing income to a non-wage-earning spouse.”
Usage
Uncountable; typically used in legal or formal contexts regarding matrimonial law.
Pitfall
he pays an alimony
he pays alimony
Alimony is uncountable and does not take the indefinite article 'an'.
Real-World Examples
“Some of the bigger categories are alimony, child support and most taxes .” Etymology
Known since the 17th century, from Latin alimōnia (“food, support, nourishment, sustenance”) (English aliment, as in alimentary), itself from alō (“to nourish”) + -mōnia (“action, state, condition”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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- Formal, Technical
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