gabella

Catalan

Etymology

Probably from Arabic قَبَالَة (qabāla, “bail, guaranty”), though a derivation from Proto-Germanic *gabulą (“tribute”) has also been proposed. The sense of "alliance" has been influenced by gavella (“sheaf”).

Noun

gabella f (plural gabelles)

1. tax, duty
2. (historical) gabelle (salt tax)
3. A place where salt is stored.
4. alliance (two or more people united for a common end)

Derived terms

• agabellar
• gabellot

Further reading

• “gabella”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “gabella” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic قَبَالَة (qabāla, “bail, guaranty”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡaˈbɛl.la/
• Rhymes: -ɛlla
• Hyphenation: ga‧bèl‧la

Noun

gabella f (plural gabelle)

1. (historical, obsolete) duty (tax on goods)

   Synonyms: balzello, dazio, imposta, tributo

2. customs

Derived terms

• gabellare
• gabelliere
• gabellotto

Descendants

• → French: gabelle
• → Spanish: gabela

Further reading

• gabella in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Anagrams

• gellaba