customs

noun

(in the plural) The duties or taxes imposed on imported or exported goods.

(in the singular or uncountable) The government department or agency that is authorised to collect the taxes imposed on imported goods.

The process of going through customs checks at a border checkpoint.

The location at a border checkpoint where customs checks are carried out.

Roots

consuetudocustom- · Latin · habit, custom

Synonyms for customs

customhousen excisemann excisen tariffn

Synonyms & related words for customs

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of customs — including customhouse, exciseman, excise, tariff. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to customs

Explore words related to customs — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include customable, impost, tidewaiter, excisemen, octroi, immigrations, landwaiter, dutiable. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for customs

Common synonyms for customs include customhouse, exciseman, excise, tariff — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does customs come from?

The word customs breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root custom-, from Latin consuetudo (“habit, custom”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.