maintenance
n. uncountablen. the work done to keep something in good condition, like a car, a building, or a machine. It involves regular checks and repairs so that things do not break.
n. the process of preserving a condition or situation or the state of being preserved. Often refers to the routine functional upkeep of property, machinery, or systems to prevent failure.
Regular maintenance keeps your car running smoothly for many years.
The city council allocates a significant portion of its annual budget to the maintenance of public parks and roads.
Preventative maintenance schedules are essential in industrial settings to mitigate the risk of catastrophic mechanical failure and ensure the long-term integrity of the production line.
From Middle English mayntenaunce, from Old French maintenance, from maintenir, from Latin manus tenēre (“to hold in the hand”). By surface analysis, maintain + -ance. Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence is spelt with -tain-, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.
Frequently used in the phrase 'preventative maintenance' or 'routine maintenance'.