fiscal: [16] Latin fiscus originally denoted a ‘small rush basket’, used for example for keeping olives in. Evidently, though, the main purpose to which it was put was as a purse, for it soon acquired the figurative sense ‘public purse, public revenue’. Hence the adjective fiscālis ‘of the imperial treasury’, which passed into English via French fiscal.
fiscal (adj.)
1560s, "pertaining to public revenue," from Middle French fiscal, from Late Latin fiscalis "of or belonging to the state treasury," from Latin fiscus "state treasury," originally "money bag, purse, basket made of twigs (in which money was kept)," which is of unknown origin. The etymological notion is of the public purse. The general sense of "financial" (1865, American English) was abstracted from phrases fiscal calendar, fiscal year, etc. Related: Fiscally.
雙語例句
1. The party was torn apart by wrangles over fiscal policy.