income tax

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of income tax

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

The income tax was launched over 100 years ago, when valuing wealth and assets would have been almost impossible.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

It is mainly due to taxation matters as the company paying a supplementary payment of CNY300 million in enterprise income tax and late payment surcharges for 2020 to 2022, they note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

For 2021-22 she had a gross income of £140,496, paying just over £51,500 in income tax.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Despite reporting millions of dollars in revenue, he paid no income tax in some years and as little as $750 in others.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

Please don’t try to file an income tax at your age.

From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones