income tax

American  

noun

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

---

income tax British  

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of income tax

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Income tax refund season may soon have some competition.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Income tax collections in most states are running higher than forecast thanks to a buoyant stock market, which has lifted capital gains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Income tax is the government's single biggest source of revenue.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2023

Income tax thresholds would also be increased to avoid adding to the tax burden on households.

From Reuters • Sep. 27, 2023

Income tax, house duty, and rates will absorb so much that the margin for voluntary expenditure will be small even out of incomes that are nominally high.

From Rebuilding Britain A Survey of Problems of Reconstruction After the World War by Hopkinson, Alfred, Sir