tariff

[tar-if]

noun

1. an official list or table showing the duties or customs imposed by a government on imports or exports.

2. the schedule or system of duties so imposed.

3. any duty or rate of duty in such a list or schedule.

4. any table of charges, as of a railroad, bus line, etc.

5. bill; cost; charge.

verb (used with object)

1. to subject to a tariff.

2. to put a valuation on according to a tariff.

tariff

/ ˈtærɪf /

noun

1. 1. a tax levied by a government on imports or occasionally exports for purposes of protection, support of the balance of payments, or the raising of revenue

   2. a system or list of such taxes

2. any schedule of prices, fees, fares, etc

3. 1. a method of charging for the supply of services, esp public services, such as gas and electricity

      block tariff

   2. a schedule of such charges

4. a bill of fare with prices listed; menu

5. the level of punishment imposed for a criminal offence

verb

1. to set a tariff on

2. to set a price on according to a schedule of tariffs

tariff

1. A government tax on imports, designed either to raise revenue or to protect domestic industry from foreign competition.

Other Word Forms

• tariffless adjective
• pretariff noun
• protariff adjective
• retariff verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tariff¹

First recorded in 1585–95; earlier tariffa, from Italian, from Arabic taʿrīfah, derivative of ʿarrafa “to make known,” akin to ʿarafa “to know”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tariff¹

C16: from Italian tariffa, from Arabic ta`rīfa to inform

Example Sentences

But here’s the problem with levying tariffs on Canadian oil: America needs it.

Read more on MarketWatch

"For Americans, it could have an impact," she said, as tariffs on Chinese products could drive up prices in the United States.

Read more on Barron's

After months of markets powering through the White House’s tariff threats, investors sitting on huge gains and expensive stocks began taking the trade war seriously again.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Corporate leaders have called Kushner to take issue with some of his father-in-law’s policies, including the impact tariffs could have on global trade, according to people familiar with the conversations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

People are drinking less, especially younger drinkers, and tariffs have caused the biggest foreign market for U.S. wine—Canada—to dry up overnight.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cost 
• duty 
• excise 
• levy 
• price 
• rate 
• tax 
• toll 

When To Use

What does tariff mean?

A tariff is a tax or duty on products that come into a country (imports) or leave it (exports), imposed by the country’s government.A tariff is also the list of taxes a government imposes on imports and exports.To tariff can mean to subject to a tariff.Example: There is a high tariff on foreign music CDs, so I just stream it instead.