al·i·mo·ny /'a-lə-ˌmō-nē/ 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-ˌtē, -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 alimony to their illegitimate children — Louisiana Civil Code
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.