sales tax

American  

noun

1. a tax on receipts from sales, usually added to the selling price by the seller.

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sales tax British  

noun

1. a tax levied on retail sales receipts and added to selling prices by retailers

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Etymology

Origin of sales tax

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

An ordinance passed in 1968 lets the school board collect a 1% sales tax to fund teacher bonuses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Local officials said the windfall for teachers, funded by a portion of the parish’s sales tax, reflects an influx of economic activity that is helping to revitalize a slumping region.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

The largely informal opposition had consisted mainly of local cities that warned another sales tax would disproportionately burden the poorest residents and force shoppers across the county border in hopes of finding lower costs.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

County half-cent healthcare sales tax, declared victory Tuesday after days of steadily gaining ground as more ballots were counted.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Meanwhile, Jake scanned the next customer’s items and did the math in his head, remembering to add sales tax to all non-food items.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein