1. A court-ordered support paid by one spouse to the other after they are separated: Alimony is the money paid regularly by one marriage partner to the other as ordered by a court after a legal separation or divorce, or during proceedings for divorce or separation.
2. A means of livelihood; maintenance: An alimony can be granted to a spouse when adultery has occurred . during marriage and can provide the means of living.

Alimony can be called literally, a "meal ticket" when we consider the original source of the word. It is borrowed from Latin alimonia, "nourishment, sustenance", from alere, "to nourish".

The primitive English meaning was "maintenance" or "the means of livelihood", a meaning which is now overshadowed by the use of the word in connection with separated couples.