alimony

:  money for living expenses paid regularly by one spouse to another after their legal separation or divorce

1 :  an allowance made to one spouse by the other for support pending or after legal separation or divorce — compare child support alimony in gross :  lump sum alimony in this entry alimony pendente lite \-pen-ˈden-tē-ˈlī-ˌtē, -pen-ˈden-tā-ˈlē-tā\ :  alimony granted pending a suit for divorce or separation that includes a reasonable allowance for the prosecution of the suit —called also temporary alimony lump sum alimony :  alimony awarded after divorce that is a specific vested amount not subject to change —called also alimony in gross permanent alimony :  alimony awarded after divorce which consists of payments at regular intervals that may change in amount or terminate (as upon the payee's remarriage) temporary alimony :  alimony pendente lite in this entry

2 :  means of living, support, or maintenance fathers and mothers owe alimony to their illegitimate children — Louisiana Civil Code