The word "alimony" is commonly misspelled due to its irregular vowel sounds. The IPA phonetic transcription of "alimony" is /ˈælɪmoʊni/. The first syllable has the short "a" sound, similar to the word "cat." The second syllable has a schwa sound, which is the unstressed vowel sound commonly heard in English. The third syllable has a long "o" sound, like in the word "go." The final syllable has the consonant sound "n" followed by the long "e" sound. Remembering this phonetic structure can help ensure correct spelling of this important legal term.
Alimony is a legal term referring to the financial support paid by one spouse to another after a divorce or separation. It is typically ordered by a court and is intended to help support the financially dependent spouse, especially if they have been economically disadvantaged during the marriage. Alimony is often granted when one spouse has a higher income or greater financial resources than the other.
The purpose of alimony is to ensure that both parties are able to maintain a similar standard of living post-divorce. The amount of alimony may be determined by several factors, such as the length of the marriage, each spouse's income, earning capacity, and financial needs. It can be paid in various forms, including a lump sum or regular payments over a specified period.
Alimony is primarily applicable in jurisdictions that follow common law principles and recognize the legal obligation of spouses to support each other both during and after the marriage. The specific rules regarding alimony can vary significantly depending on the jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions may offer rehabilitative alimony, which aims to provide temporary financial support to the recipient spouse until they become self-sufficient.
It is important to note that alimony is distinct from child support, which is the financial assistance provided by one parent to another for the benefit of their children.
The sum allowed for the support of a wife who is separated from her husband.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "alimony" derives from the Latin term "alimōnia", which means "nourishment" or "sustenance". It is a combination of the prefix "ali-" (meaning "to nourish" or "to support") and the suffix "-monia" (indicating a condition or state). The original Latin term was used to refer to the provision of support or means of livelihood provided by one spouse to another, particularly after divorce. Over time, the term "alimony" came to specifically signify financial support or maintenance payments made by one former spouse to the other following a legal separation or divorce.