customs
KUSS-tumz
/ˈkʌstəmz/
The government authority and checkpoint at international borders responsible for inspecting luggage and collecting taxes on imported goods.
Refers specifically to goods, baggage inspection, and duty collection, whereas 'immigration' inspects passports and visas.
The story behind the word. Derived from Old French 'costume', reflecting long-standing local traditions of paying duties or taxes to local lords on goods brought into a city.
Word relationships
- border control: Border control covers both immigration (people) and customs (goods).
Commonly confused with
- immigration: Immigration checks personal identification and visas; customs checks baggage and physical goods.
Word family
- customary (adjective): According to tradition or usual practice.
Collocations
- clear customs
- customs declaration
- customs officer
- pass through customs
Example sentences
- "After clearing customs, the tourists collected their baggage and walked into the arrival hall." Border inspection
- "You must declare high-value electronics and foreign currency when passing through customs." Travel declaration
Memory hook
Customs inspects what you customarily carry into a country. Goods go through customs; people go through immigration.
When not to use
Do not use 'customs' when referring to routine security screenings like metal detectors or x-rays before departure.
Fun facts
- The world's oldest continuous customs service was established in Great Britain over a thousand years ago.
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.