maintenance

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun activity involved in maintaining something in good working order
  2. noun means of maintenance of a family or group
  3. noun court-ordered support paid by one spouse to another after they are separated

Etymology

From Middle English mayntenaunce, from Old French maintenance, from maintenir, from Latin manus tenēre (“to hold in the hand”). By surface analysis, maintain + -ance. Note that maintain has undergone a sound and spelling change, hence is spelt with -tain-, rather than the -ten- still found in maintenance.

In classic literature

Synonyms

care, upkeep

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