alimony
n. uncountablen. money that a person must pay to their former husband or wife after a divorce. It helps the other person pay for their living costs.
n. a court-ordered legal obligation to provide financial support to a spouse after a marital separation or divorce.
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.
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”).
Uncountable; typically used in legal or formal contexts regarding matrimonial law.
he pays an alimonyhe pays alimonyAlimony is uncountable and does not take the indefinite article 'an'.