maltolte

noun

mal·tolte

variants or maletolt

ˈmalˌtōlt

plural -s

: an arbitrary customs duty levied by the British crown during the late medieval period in addition to the regular port charges

Word History

Etymology

Middle French maletoulte, malletoute additional duty or tax, from Old French mauthoste, from mau, mal bad + toste, tolte, toute pillage, tax, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin tollita, feminine of (assumed) Vulgar Latin tollitus, past participle of Latin tollere to lift up, take away