gabelle

[guh-bel] /gəˈbɛl/
noun
1.
a tax; excise.
2.
French History. a tax on salt, abolished in 1790.
Origin
1375-1425; Middle English gabul, gabel (probably confused with gavel2) < Middle French < Italian gabella < Arabic gabālah tax, receipt
Related forms
gabelled, adjective
Examples from the web for gabelle
  • On top of that, peasants resented the gabelle, a tax on salt that was particularly unfairly applied to the poor.
  • Some provinces are allowed to compound for the gabelle or salt-tax.
British Dictionary definitions for gabelle

gabelle

/ɡæˈbɛl/
noun
1.
(French history) a salt tax levied until 1790
Derived Forms
gabelled, adjective
Word Origin
C15: from Old Italian gabella, from Arabic qabālah tribute, from qabala he received
Encyclopedia Article for gabelle

form of tax in France before the Revolution of 1789-in particular, from the 15th century onward, the tax on salt

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