publican

Etymology 1

Probably from public house (“(Britain) bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging, pub”) or public (“open to all members of a community”) + -an (suffix forming agent nouns), apparently originally used humorously.

noun

1. (chiefly Britain) The landlord (manager or owner) of a public house (“a bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging; a pub”).
2. (Australia, New Zealand, by extension) The manager or owner of a hotel.

Etymology 2

19:1–10 in the Bible, which relates the story of Zacchaeus, the chief publican (etymology 2, sense 1) or tax collector of Jericho who climbs a tree to see Jesus. Jesus, addressing him by name, asks him to come down as he intends to stay at his house. The crowd is surprised that Jesus wishes to consort with someone they regard as sinful. However, Zacchaeus promises to give half of his possessions to the poor, and to return four times the amount of any money he has cheated from anyone. Jesus then says to him, “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is the son of Abraham. For the son of man is come to seek, and to save that which was lost.”]] From Middle English publican [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman publican, pupplican, Middle French publicain, and Old French publican, publicain, pupplican (“tax collector”) (modern French publicain), and from their etymon Latin pūblicānus (“tax collector”), from pūblicum (“state revenue”) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’, usually indicating relationships of origin, position, or possession). Pūblicum is a noun use of the neuter form of pūblicus (“of or belonging to the people, state, or community; general, public”), ultimately from Proto-Italic *poplos (“army”), further etymology unknown. Sense 3.2 (“person excommunicated from the church; person who does not follow a Christian religion”) refers to Matthew 18:17 of the Bible: see the King James Version quotation under sense 1. cognates * Catalan publicà * Italian pubblicano * Middle Dutch publicaen, puppilicaen, pupplicaen (modern Dutch publicaan (obsolete), publikaan) * Middle High German publicān, publicāne (early modern German Publican). * Middle Low German pūblicān * Old Occitan publican, puplican * Portuguese publicano * Spanish publicano

noun

1. (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.
2. (by extension, archaic) Any person who collects customs duties, taxes, tolls, or other forms of public revenue.
3. (figurative, archaic)
   1. One regarded as extorting money from others by charging high prices.
   2. (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.