maintenance

Legal Definition of maintenance

Noun

1. (law, UK) Refers to the obligation of one person to contribute, in part or in whole, to the cost of living of another person. Maintenance is usually expressed in a currency amount per month as in "$320 a month maintenance." Some countries prefer the words "child support" or "alimony" (spousal support) but they all mean the same thing.

Synonyms

• alimony (US)
• spousal support (US)
• child support

Definition of maintenance

Etymology

From Middle English mayntenaunce, from Old French maintenance, from maintenir, from Latin manus tenere (“to hold in the hand”).

Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence spelt with -tain, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA: /ˈmeɪntɪnəns/
• IPA: /ˈmeɪntənəns/, SAMPA: /"meInt@n@ns/
• Audio (US) ^[?]

Noun

maintenance (plural maintenances)

1. (law) A tort committed when a third party who does not have a bona fide interest in a lawsuit provides help or acquires an interest to a litigant's lawsuit.