tariff Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a government tax on imports or exports
    duty.
    • they signed a treaty to lower duties on trade between their countries
  2. verb charge a tariff
    • tariff imported goods

WordNet

Tar"iff noun
Etymology
F. tarif; cf. Sp. & Pg. tarifa, It. tariffa; all fr. Ar. ta'rif information, explanation, definition, from 'arafa, to know, to inform, explain.
Definitions
  1. A schedule, system, or scheme of duties imposed by the government of a country upon goods imported or exported; as, a revenue tariff; a protective tariff; Clay's compromise tariff. (U.S. 1833). ✍ The United States and Great Britain impose no duties on exports; hence, in these countries the tariff refers only to imports.
  2. The duty, or rate of duty, so imposed; as, the tariff on wool; a tariff of two cents a pound.
  3. Any schedule or system of rates, changes, etc.; as, a tariff of fees, or of railroad fares. Bolingbroke.
Tar"iff transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tariffed ; present participle & verbal noun Tariffing
Definitions
  1. To make a list of duties on, as goods.

Webster 1913