ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tariff

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɛɹəf// UK //tˈæɹɪf// tar·iff

n. a tax that a government puts on goods coming into the country from abroad. It makes imported products more expensive so people are more likely to buy local ones.

n. a schedule of duties or taxes imposed by a government on imported or exported goods. Often used as a tool of protectionism to support domestic industries against foreign competition.


SIMPLE

The government recently placed a new tariff on imported steel.

CONTEXTUAL

Economists warned that the high tariff on electronics would lead to higher prices for local consumers.

COMPLEX

While the proposed tariff aimed to protect domestic manufacturing, critics argued it would trigger a trade war and disrupt global supply chains already under significant strain.

Synonyms
Origin

From Italian tariffa (“arithmetical table; list of customs duties”), from Arabic تَعْرِيف (taʕrīf, “notification, explanation”). Equivalent to Portuguese and Spanish tarifa and the French tarif and first attested in 1592.

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'impose', 'levy', or 'lift'.

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