octroi

American  

[ok-troi, awk-trwa] / ˈɒk trɔɪ, ɔkˈtrwa /

noun

octrois plural

1. (formerly especially in France and Italy) a local tax levied on certain articles, such as foodstuffs, on their entry into a city.

2. the place at which such a tax is collected.

3. the officials collecting it.

4. the act of a sovereign in granting to subjects a constitution or other charter.

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octroi British  

/ ˈɒktrwɑː /

noun

1. (in some European countries, esp France) a duty on various goods brought into certain towns or cities

2. the place where such a duty is collected

3. the officers responsible for its collection

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• octrois
  plural

Etymology

Origin of octroi

1605–15; < French, noun derivative of octroyer to grant, partial Latinization of Old French otreier < Medieval Latin auctorizāre; see authorize

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

octroi octrois

Octroi duties The various dues, miksu, seem to have been a sort of octroi duty.

From Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters by Johns, C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter)

At the gates of each small town in France the octroi, or impost, levies on articles of food brought in, and the customhouse in England seizes all American reprints of English books.

From The Complete Bachelor Manners for Men by Germain, Walter

The venta of Sarria was kept by a nephew of Gaspar's, the octroi man, one recently come to the district.

From The Firebrand by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

But a civilised yearning for the utmost advantages of octroi, and not a fierce fear of robbery and wrong, is at the bottom of the continuance of this custom.

From From Sea to Sea Letters of Travel by Kipling, Rudyard

Beyond this historic area are the outer boulevards which mark the octroi wall of Louis XVI.; further yet are the Thiers wall and fortifications of 1841.

From The Story of Paris by Kimball, Katherine

Under the Empire, the Restoration, and the Monarchy of July, the Council of State granted the octrois.

From France and the Republic A Record of Things Seen and Learned in the French Provinces During the 'Centennial' Year 1889 by Hurlbert, William Henry

Seven times in twenty-eight years5264 he withdraws and re-sells the right of appointing their municipal officers, and, to get rid of "this enormous financial burden," the towns double their octrois.

From The Ancient Regime by Durand, John

The octrois of towns.—The poor the greatest sufferers.

From The Ancient Regime by Durand, John

Besides the people pay the door and window tax, the furniture tax, the prestations en nature, the permanent personal tax, and the octrois and the centimes additionnels levied for educational and other purposes.

From France and the Republic A Record of Things Seen and Learned in the French Provinces During the 'Centennial' Year 1889 by Hurlbert, William Henry

Through this tax, and through to the previous action of customs-duties, tolls, octrois or monopolies, the State collects a certain percentage on the price of various kinds of merchandise sold.

From The Modern Regime, Volume 1 by Durand, John