surcharge
SUR-charj
/ˈsɜːrtʃɑːrdʒ/
An additional charge, tax, or payment added to an existing cost or bill.
Refers specifically to extra fees added for unusual conditions like peak demand, bad weather, or payment processing.
The story behind the word. Formed from Old French 'sur-' (over/above) and 'charge' (a load or burden). It literally means 'an extra load placed on top of a charge'.
Word relationships
- fee: A fee is a general term for payment, while a surcharge specifically means an extra added fee above the baseline.
- supplement: A supplement is an added extra service or item, whereas a surcharge is purely a monetary price increase.
- discount: A reduction in price rather than an extra addition to the price.
- rebate: A refund of part of the payment made.
Commonly confused with
- supercharge: Supercharge means to supply extra power or energy, while surcharge means to charge extra money.
Word family
- surcharged (verb): Billed an extra fee.
Collocations
- fuel surcharge
- peak-hour surcharge
- service surcharge
- impose a surcharge
Example sentences
- "The airline added a fuel surcharge to all long-haul international tickets." Airline fare policy
- "During severe rainstorms, the app applies a inclement-weather surcharge to attract more drivers." Food app checkout
Memory hook
SURPLUS + CHARGE = SURCHARGE (an extra charge added on top). Surcharge is a charge over the normal charge.
When not to use
Do not confuse with the primary cost of an item or a voluntary tip.
Fun facts
- In legal terms historically, 'surcharge' also meant penalizing an official for overspending or failing to account for public funds.
Related words
Explore more words
premium, surge, overweight, supplementary, overhead, surplus
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