internal revenue

American  

noun

1. the revenue of a government from any domestic source, usually considered to be any source other than customs.

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internal revenue British  

noun

1. government income derived from taxes, etc, within the country

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Etymology

Origin of internal revenue

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

Example Sentences

The Internal Revenue Service, which is part of the Treasury Department, was the defendant in a case that was dropped Monday as part of the settlement.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

The Internal Revenue Service’s “wash sale” rule limits the ability to recognize a loss on the sale of stock if the same stock is purchased within 30 days before or after the sale.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Whether those figures are universally true throughout the nonprofit sector is unclear as 2025 grant data reported to the Internal Revenue Service isn’t fully available yet.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

Or they can mash the brakes and get an extension from the Internal Revenue Service.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

“The quarterly tax payments that Savannah filed triggered an audit by the Internal Revenue Service.”

From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen