alimony: [17] Alimony is an anglicization of Latin alimōnia, which is based on the verb alere ‘nourish’ (source of alma ‘bounteous’, as in alma mater, and of alumnus). This in turn goes back to a hypothetical root *al-, which is also the basis of English adolescent, adult, altitude (from Latin altus ‘high’), and old.
The original sense ‘nourishment, sustenance’ has now died out, but the specialized ‘support for a former wife’ is of equal antiquity in English. The -mony element in the word represents Latin -mōnia, a fairly meaning-free suffix used for forming nouns from verbs (it is related to -ment, which coincidentally was also combined with alere, to form alimentary), but in the later 20th century it took on a newly productive role in the sense ‘provision of maintenance for a former partner’. Palimony ‘provision for a former non-married partner’ was coined around 1979, and in the 1980s appeared dallymony ‘provision for somebody one has jilted’. => adult, altitude, alumnus, old
alimony (n.)
1650s, "nourishment," also "allowance to a wife from a husband's estate, or in certain cases of separation," from Latin alimonia "food, support, nourishment, sustenance," from alere "to nourish" (see old) + -monia suffix signifying action, state, condition (cognate with Greek -men). Derived form palimony coined 1979.
实用例句
1. His ex - wife has upped the ante in her alimony suit against him.
他的 前妻 在诉讼中要求提高赡养费.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. A great deal of Jeff's money went in alimony to his three former wives.
杰夫的很大一部分钱都用在了向他的前三任妻子支付赡养费。
来自柯林斯例句
3. When his wife was awarded alimony by the court, Snow had to ante up.
当他的太太被法庭判定获有离婚赡养费时, 斯诺不得不付这笔钱.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. You may have to pay alimony if the divorce goes through.
