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Fiscal derives from the Latin noun fiscus, meaning "basket" or "treasury." In ancient Rome, fiscus was the term for the treasury controlled by the emperor, where the money was literally stored in baskets and was collected primarily in the form of revenue from the provinces. Fiscus also gave English confiscate, which is most familiar as a verb meaning "to seize by or as if by authority," but it can additionally refer to the forfeiting of private property to public use. Today, we often encounter fiscal in "fiscal year," a 12-month accounting period not necessarily coinciding with the calendar year.
Examples of fiscal in a Sentence
Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
After weeks of concern over the potential stoppage, the new legislation, signed by the president, funds over 90% of government agencies and departments for fiscal 2026, the Washington Examiner previously reported.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Central Health, the hospital district for Austin and Travis County, like many local government entities,will be asking property owners to pay more this next fiscal that begins in October.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiscal
Cite this Entry
“Fiscal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiscal. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
fiscal
adjective
Adjective
Latin fiscalis, from fiscus basket, treasury
