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

Donations of IRA assets are triple-tax-free because no federal income tax is due on contributions, growth or withdrawals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Spend the funds on something else and the earnings generally face income tax and a 10% federal penalty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Since 2019, Welsh ministers have had the ability to raise or lower the three rates of income tax in Wales but have never done so.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Florida, with its high concentration of wealth, no state income tax, pro-business policies and balmy weather, has drawn an unusually large number of disaffected California tech moguls.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

I had observed my father making his way through what, I now suppose, must have been income tax forms.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez