Definition

Adjective 1. Exempt from customs duties or taxes: Describes goods, especially those purchased at airports or on ships, that are sold without the import taxes or customs duties normally applied to such items. - The store sells duty-free perfume and alcohol to international travelers.

Usage

• Primary Use: Used to describe goods that can be bought without paying government import taxes, typically in designated areas like international airports, on planes, or on cruise ships. It is often hyphenated.
  • Passengers can buy duty-free items after passing through security.
  • She bought a duty-free watch at the airport.

Advanced Usage

• As an adverb (less common): Can be used to describe the manner of selling or buying goods.
  • The cigarettes were sold duty-free. (Meaning they were sold in a manner exempt from duty.)

Variants and Related Words

• Duty-free shop (noun): A retail outlet where duty-free goods are sold.
  • We browsed in the duty-free shop before our flight.

Synonyms

• Tax-exempt: Not subject to tax.
• Untaxed: Not having had tax levied on it.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The term applies specifically to the exemption from import/export duties or excise taxes, not from all forms of taxation like sales tax (VAT/GST), which may sometimes still apply. Its core meaning is tied to international travel and customs regulations.

Adjective

1. exempt from duty
   • duty-free liquor