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duty-free

American  
[doo-tee-free, dyoo-] / ˈdu tiˈfri, ˈdyu- /

adjective

  1. free of customs duty or tax on imported or exported goods.

    duty-free cargo; merchandise shipped duty-free.

  2. pertaining to or selling goods for import or export free of the usual customs duty.

    a duty-free shop at the airport.


duty-free British  

adjective

  1. with exemption from customs or excise duties

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. goods sold in a duty-free shop

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of duty-free

1680–90; duty (in the sense “an import or export tax”) + -free

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

China Duty Free Group has benefited from the strong growth momentum driven by the Hainan offshore duty-free zone.

From The Wall Street Journal

It means low-cost goods are no longer duty-free - a move affecting millions of packages sent every day, including those from online retailers like Shein and Temu.

From BBC

Lululemon's particular concern was over the ending of the so-called de-minimis exemption, a former duty-free loophole for low-cost goods entering America from countries such as China.

From BBC

In its early years, Cambridge College attracted funding from the Rockefeller family, David Koch and Charles Feeney, who made a fortune from duty-free shops.

From The Wall Street Journal

Companies are paying tariffs on goods that previously entered the country duty-free.

From The Wall Street Journal