ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fiscal

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈfɪskəɫ// UK //fˈɪskəl// fis·cal

adj. relating to government money, especially taxes and how the government spends its budget. It describes the financial decisions made by a country's leaders.

adj. relating to government revenue, especially taxes, and public expenditure. Often used to describe the financial policy or accounting period of a state or corporation.


SIMPLE

The government announced a new fiscal policy today.

CONTEXTUAL

The country faced a fiscal crisis after several years of high spending and low tax collection.

COMPLEX

Economists argue that fiscal stimulus is necessary during a recession to encourage consumer spending and prevent a long-term decline in the national gross domestic product.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle French fiscal, from Latin fiscus (“treasury”) – see fiscus and fisc.

Etymology 2

From Spanish fiscal, ultimately from Latin fiscus (“treasury”).

Etymology 3

After Afrikaans fiskaal (“public official, hangman”).

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies; frequently collocated with 'policy', 'year', or 'responsibility'.

Pitfall

the fiscal of the companythe finances of the companyFiscal is an adjective, not a noun; learners sometimes mistakenly use it as a synonym for 'finances' or 'budget'.

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