income tax

American  

noun

income taxes plural

1. a tax levied on incomes, especially an annual government tax on personal incomes.

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income tax British  

noun

1. a personal tax, usually progressive, levied on annual income subject to certain deductions

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• income taxes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of income tax

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

These figures include only tax filers, not the broader population, some of whom don’t pay state income tax.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 12, 2026

Should I have more federal income tax withheld from my paycheck to avoid owing money when I file my tax return?

From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026

It adds between 1% to 3% to these high earners’ personal income tax rates.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

The qualified small business stock exclusion, or QSBS, lets shareholders exclude capital gains from federal income tax.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

Dora was having trouble with her income tax, for she was entangled in that curious enigma which said the business was illegal and then taxed her for it.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck