income tax

American  

noun

• income taxes
  plural

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• income taxes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of income tax

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

income tax

In addition to state income tax, look at the cost of housing, insurance, property taxes, sales taxes, transportation, utilities and healthcare.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

He netted $2.2 million when Motorola acquired the body camera firm in 2019, according to his income tax return from that year.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

He noted that the funding could offset income tax revenue—which will shrink if fewer people work—so that governments can provide services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

As a bonus, Florida has no state income tax.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Some draw on government help in the form of food stamps, housing vouchers, the earned income tax credit, or—for those coming off welfare in relatively generous states—subsidized child care.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich