Wiktionary:Word of the day/2022/December 8

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publican n

(chiefly British) The landlord (manager or owner) of a public house (“a bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging; a pub”). (Australia, New Zealand, by extension) The manager or owner of a hotel. [...] (Ancient Rome, historical) A tax collector, especially one working in Judea and Galilee during New Testament times (1st century C.E.) who was generally regarded as sinful for extorting more tax than was due, and as a traitor for serving the Roman Empire. (by extension, archaic) Any person who collects customs duties, taxes, tolls, or other forms of public revenue. (figuratively, archaic) One regarded as extorting money from others by charging high prices. (Christianity) A person excommunicated from the church; an excommunicant or excommunicate; also, a person who does not follow a Christian religion; a heathen, a pagan.

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