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customs

Pronunciation: /ˈkʌstəmz/
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Definition of customs

noun

  • the official department that administers and collects the duties levied by a government on imported goods:cocaine seizures by customs have risen this year [as modifier]:a customs officer
  • the place at a port, airport, or frontier where officials check incoming goods, travellers, or luggage:we were through customs with a minimum of formalities
  • (usually customs duties) the duties levied by a government on imported goods: an inflow of customs duties to the Treasury from 1374 Chaucer worked as controller of customs on wool in the port of London

Origin:

late Middle English: originally in the singular, denoting a customary due paid to a ruler, later duty levied on goods on their way to market

customs in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of customs in the US English dictionary