tariff
TAIR-if
/ˈtær.ɪf/
A tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
Specifically refers to government-imposed taxes on foreign goods designed to raise revenue or protect domestic industries.
The story behind the word. The word tariff traces back to the Arabic 'ta'rifa', meaning notification or inventory schedule. It entered European languages via Italian maritime trade in the Mediterranean as 'tariffa', describing published price sheets at customs ports.
Word relationships
- duty: Duty is a broader term for any border tax, while tariff usually refers to the specific published rate schedule.
- free trade: Free trade is the complete absence of tariffs and restrictions on international commerce.
Commonly confused with
- quota: A tariff is a tax on import value, whereas a quota is a physical cap on import quantity.
Word family
- tariffs (noun): Plural form of tariff
- tariffed (verb): Subjected to a tariff tax
Collocations
- impose a tariff
- protective tariff
- tariff rates
- tariff barriers
Idioms & expressions
- tariff war
Example sentences
- "In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act raised U.S. tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods." Real citation from economics discourse (U.S. House of Representatives Historical Records)
- "The government announced a temporary tariff on foreign steel to support domestic mills." Trade policy analysis
Memory hook
Think of TARiff as a TAX on CARgo entering across borders. Tax on border goods.
When not to use
Do not use for general domestic sales taxes or routine service charges.
Fun facts
- The coastal city of Tarifa in southern Spain was long mistakenly thought to be the origin of tariff because it charged tolls to passing ships.
Related words
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