child support

noun

: payment for the support of the children of divorced or separated parents while the children are minors or as otherwise legally required compare alimony

Examples of child support in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During a child support hearing amid his divorce from ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, the actor spoke out about his exit for the first time. —Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024

During this time, the divorce was officially finalized in March 2022 and Clarkson was ordered to pay Blackstock a one-time lump sum of over $1.3 million, $45,000 a month in child support, and $115,000 a month in spousal support until Jan. 31, 2024. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

child support

noun

: payment for the support of the children of divorced or separated parents while the children are minors or as otherwise legally required compare alimony

Legal Definition

child support

noun

: payment made for the support of the children of divorced or separated parents while the children are minors or until they reach an age set by the separation agreement or in a court order compare alimony

Note: Child support is usually paid by the parent who is without custody. In the case of joint custody, both parents usually pay child support.