fiscal

Everyday

1. (formal) Fiscal means about government money: taxes and public spending. tree →
2. (formal) Fiscal year: the twelve-month period a government or company uses for its accounts (US; «financial year» in the UK and Australia). tree →

In the lessons

Used in news, economics and formal writing: «fiscal policy», «fiscal year», «fiscal deficit». Rarely used by children; everyday words are «money» or «financial».

Examples

• The government changed its fiscal policy to lower taxes. tree →
• The company reports its profits at the end of each fiscal year. tree →
• Fiscal rules limit how much a country can borrow. tree →
• The report looked at fiscal spending on schools. tree →
• A fiscal deficit means spending more than you collect. tree →
• The mayor gave a fiscal update to the council. tree →

Note

Formal, mostly about governments. Not the same as «physical» though it sounds a bit like it. «Financial» is broader (any money); «fiscal» is about public money and taxes.