ratepayer
ratepayer Lexical Profile
ratepayer Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A person who owns or occupies property and is liable to pay local municipal taxes (rates), especially in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
"The local council promised that the new park development would not place an additional financial burden on the average ratepayer."
American A consumer who pays a regulated charge for services provided by a public utility, such as electricity, water, or natural gas.
"State regulators rejected the power company's request to pass the cost of grid upgrades directly on to the ratepayer."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British, Australian, and New Zealand English, 'ratepayer' specifically refers to a local property taxpayer, whereas in American English it primarily denotes a customer who pays a regulated public utility for services such as water, gas, or electricity.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.