octroi

[ ok-troi; French awk-trwa ]

/ ˈɒk trɔɪ; French ɔkˈtrwa /

(formerly especially in France and Italy) a local tax levied on certain articles, such as foodstuffs, on their entry into a city.

the place at which such a tax is collected.

the officials collecting it.

the act of a sovereign in granting to subjects a constitution or other charter.

Origin of octroi

1605–15; < French, noun derivative of octroyer to grant, partial Latinization of Old French otreier < Medieval Latin auctorizāre; see authorize

The first human beings she saw on her way were the octroi officers at the gate.

A Siren |Thomas Adolphus Trollope
An octroi of three dollars per barrel is estimated to yield fifty thousand dollars, or two thousand dollars less than soda-water.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. XVII. No. 101. May, 1876. |Various
Use the octroi, if you can, to raise wages, or do not use it to raise the price of commodities.

Sophisms of the Protectionists |Frederic Bastiat
However, Denver has no octroi, nor is the Denver gate a barrier.

Abroad at Home |Julian Street

I have shown what a large part the octroi plays in the revenue of a city like Amiens.

France and the Republic |William Henry Hurlbert

octroi

/ (ˈɒktrwɑː) /

(in some European countries, esp France) a duty on various goods brought into certain towns or cities

the place where such a duty is collected

the officers responsible for its collection

C17: from French octroyer to concede, from Medieval Latin auctorizāre to authorize