maintenance

noun

Actions performed to keep some machine or system functioning or in service.

Money required or spent to provide for the needs of a person or a family.

(biology) The natural process which keeps an organism alive.

(law) A tort and (in some jurisdictions) an offence 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.

(law, UK) Alimony, a periodical payment or a lump sum made or ordered to be made to a spouse after a divorce.

(law) Child support.

(software engineering, attributive) Software updates that fix bugs and improve stability rather than adding new features.

(Philippines, medicine, colloquial) Ellipsis of maintenance medicine. [(Philippines, medicine) Medication taken long-term to treat a chronic condition.]

Roots

manusmain- · Latin · hand teneo-ten · Latin · hold

Synonyms for maintenance

upkeepn sustentationn alimonyn sustainmentn sustenancen caren maintainingv preservationn keepingn

Synonyms & related words for maintenance

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of maintenance — including upkeep, sustentation, alimony, sustainment, sustenance, care. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to maintenance

Explore words related to maintenance — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include servicing, repairs, arboricultural, refinishing, maintainer, corrody, installation, refurbishment. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for maintenance

Common synonyms for maintenance include upkeep, sustentation, alimony, sustainment, sustenance, care, maintaining, preservation — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does maintenance come from?

The word maintenance breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: main-, from Latin manus (“hand”); and -ten, from Latin teneo (“hold”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.