excise

1 of 3

noun

ex·​cise ˈek-ˌsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
-ˌsīs
Synonyms of excisenext
1
: an internal tax levied on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of a commodity
2
: any of various taxes on privileges often assessed in the form of a license or fee

excise

2 of 3

verb (1)

ex·​cise ˈek-ˌsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
-ˌsīs
ik-ˈsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
excised; excising

transitive verb

: to impose an excise on

excise

3 of 3

verb (2)

ex·​cise ik-ˈsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
excised; excising

transitive verb

: to remove by or as if by excision
excise a tumor
All the most scandalous parts had been excised from the diary.

Did you know?

Excise takes part of its meaning from the prefix ex-, "out". A writer may excise long passages of a novel to reduce it to a reasonable length, or a film director may excise a scene that might give offense. A surgeon may excise a large cancerous tumor, or make a tiny excision to examine an organ's tissue. Excise is also a noun, meaning a tax paid on something manufactured and sold in the U.S. Much of what consumers pay for tobacco or alcohol products go to cover the excise taxes that the state and federal government charge the manufacturers. But it's only accidental that this noun is spelled like the verb, since it comes from a completely different source.

Examples of excise in a Sentence

Noun an excise imposed on a number of goods
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The government approved a range of measures two weeks ago to cut fuel prices, including a temporary reduction in excise taxes on motor fuels, expansion of a rebate for truckers and bus operators that use diesel fuel, and extension of a program that helps low-income people with their heating costs. Brian Melley, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026 The Irish government announced in March a 250-million-euro ($293 million) package of measures to help households and businesses tackle the spike in prices, including a cut in excise duty on both diesel and petrol. Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 In one of this picture’s more intriguing twists on the material, Shakespeare’s invading Norwegian prince, Fortinbras (whose subplot is often excised entirely in movie adaptations), now becomes an encampment of activists pushed out of their homes by the Elsinore Corporation. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for excise

Word History

Etymology

Noun

obsolete Dutch excijs (now accijns), from Middle Dutch, probably modification of Old French assise session, assessment — more at assize

Verb (2)

Latin excisus, past participle of excidere, from ex- + caedere to cut

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1652, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of excise was circa 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/excise. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

excise

1 of 2 noun
ex·​cise ˈek-ˌsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
-ˌsīs
: a tax on the manufacture, sale, or use of certain goods within a country

excise

2 of 2 verb
ex·​cise ek-ˈsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
excised; excising
: to remove by cutting out
excise a tumor
excision
-ˈsizh-ən
noun
Etymology

Noun

from obsolete Dutch excijs "tax," probably derived from early French assise "assessment"

Verb

from Latin excisus, past participle of excidere "to cut out," from ex- "out, out of" and caedere "to cut"

Medical Definition

excise

transitive verb
ex·​cise ik-ˈsīz How to pronounce excise (audio)
excised; excising
: to remove by excision : resect
excise a tumor

Legal Definition

excise

noun
1
: a tax levied on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of a commodity compare income tax, property tax
2
: any of various taxes on privileges often assessed in the form of a license or other fee compare direct tax
excise transitive verb

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