sales tax

American  

noun

1. a tax on receipts from sales, usually added to the selling price by the seller.

---

sales tax British  

noun

1. a tax levied on retail sales receipts and added to selling prices by retailers

---

Etymology

Origin of sales tax

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Los Angeles County voters will soon decide whether they want to pay a temporary half-cent sales tax to shore up the region’s public healthcare system, which is facing dramatic federal funding cuts.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Voters haven’t said no to a sales tax hike since 2012, when a transportation measure fell just short with 66.1% support.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Miami residents get all this because of—not in spite of—zero state income taxes, zero estate taxes, a manageable 7% sales tax, and reasonable property taxes and corporate taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

A state and city sales tax of nearly 9%.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Meanwhile, Jake scanned the next customer’s items and did the math in his head, remembering to add sales tax to all non-food items.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein