gas-tax
UK[ˈɡæs tæks]US[ˈɡæs tæks]
n
A tax levied on the sale of gasoline or other motor fuels.
Morpheme Breakdown
gas
tax
gas
fuel
tax
levy
Etymology
The compound noun 'gas-tax' is a modern formation combining two distinct roots. 'Gas', for fuel, originates from the 17th-century Dutch scientific term, itself a phonetic adaptation of the Greek philosophical concept 'khaos', representing formless primordial matter. 'Tax' derives from the Latin 'taxare', meaning to appraise or censure, which evolved through Old French into the English term for a mandatory levy. The compound logically follows the pattern of specifying the object of taxation, directly naming the fuel ('gas') upon which the governmental charge ('tax') is imposed. Its formation reflects the economic and social response to the automotive age, creating a precise term for a revenue mechanism tied to fuel consumption.
Analysis
Structure: gas (fuel) + tax (levy)
- gas: Origin: Dutch 'gas', coined by chemist Jan Baptista van Helmont, from Greek 'khaos' (void, chasm). Role: Root, denoting a state of matter or specifically fuel.
- tax: Origin: Latin 'taxare' (to evaluate, handle, censure), from 'tangere' (to touch). Role: Root, denoting a compulsory financial charge.
Examples
The proposed increase in the state gas-tax is intended to fund new highway repairs.
Many consumers are sensitive to fluctuations in the gas-tax when planning long trips.
The legislation included a provision to index the gas-tax to inflation.