What does alimented mean?
"Alimented" is the past tense and past participle of "aliment," a formal and now largely archaic English verb meaning to provide someone with food or other necessities of life. The word descends directly from the Latin "alimentum," meaning nourishment, the same root behind "alimony" and the anatomical phrase "alimentary canal." Today it survives almost exclusively in Scottish legal terminology, where "aliment" denotes a legally enforceable duty to support a spouse, child, or relative financially. To say that someone was "alimented" is therefore to say they were maintained or provided for, whether with literal food or with the money needed to obtain it. Outside of legal documents and historical texts the word is seldom encountered; modern speakers overwhelmingly prefer plainer terms such as "fed," "nourished," "supported," or "provided for." Its rarity gives it a distinctly formal, even antiquarian flavor, which makes it useful precisely where a writer wants an elevated, legalistic register.
verb (past tense and past participle)"Alimented" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "aliment," a now chiefly legal term meaning to have supplied food or other means of subsistence to someone.
- Supplied with food or the means of subsistence (chiefly in Scottish law and older legal usage), as the past participle of the verb "aliment".
"The trust was established so that the widow's children would be adequately alimented after her death."
"Under the old Scots law, an indigent parent could claim to be alimented by their children."
"The charity ensured that the orphaned siblings were properly alimented throughout their schooling."
Every time you hear the word "alimony," you're hearing the same Latin root that gave us the forgotten legal word "alimented" — both trace back to the Latin for nourishment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alimented
"Alimented" derives from the Latin "alimentum," meaning food or nourishment, itself formed from "alere," to nourish or sustain. The verb "aliment" entered English via Old French in the late Middle Ages, and its participial form "alimented" has been used since at least the early modern period. It shares its Latin root with "alimony" — literally a maintenance payment — and with "alimentary," as in the "alimentary canal." The word retains its strongest foothold in Scots law, where the related noun "aliment" still names a legal duty of support.
How alimented is actually used
This is a rare, formal, and largely archaic word. It survives mainly in Scottish legal contexts, where "aliment" remains a technical term for the obligation to maintain a spouse, child, or other dependent. In everyday English, writers would normally use "fed," "nourished," or "supported" instead.
Easily confused with alimented
"Aligned" means brought into line or agreement, while "alimented" means fed or provided with sustenance.