term:

Alimony

alimony n

[Latin alimonia sustenance, from alere to nourish]
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 pen·den·te li·te
[-pen-den-tē-lī-tē, -pen-den-tā-lē-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

per·ma·nent 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)

tem·po·rary alimony
: alimony pendente lite in this entry
2 : means of living, support, or maintenance [fathers and mothers owe to their illegitimate children "Louisiana Civil Code"]

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.