tobacco

[ tuh-bak-oh ]
See synonyms for tobacco on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural to·bac·cos, to·bac·coes.
  1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Nicotiana, of the nightshade family, especially one of those species, as N. tabacum, whose leaves are prepared for smoking or chewing or as snuff.

  2. the prepared leaves, as used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.

  1. any product or products made from such leaves.

  2. any of various similar plants of other genera.

Origin of tobacco

1
1525–35; <Spanish tabaco, perhaps <Arawak: a pipe for smoking the plant, or roll of leaves smoked, or the plant

Other words from tobacco

  • to·bac·co·less, adjective
  • an·ti·to·bac·co, adjective

Words Nearby tobacco

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How to use tobacco in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tobacco

tobacco

/ (təˈbækəʊ) /


nounplural -cos or -coes
  1. any of numerous solanaceous plants of the genus Nicotiana, having mildly narcotic properties, tapering hairy leaves, and tubular or funnel-shaped fragrant flowers. The species N. tabacum is cultivated as the chief source of commercial tobacco

  2. the leaves of certain of these plants dried and prepared for snuff, chewing, or smoking

Origin of tobacco

1
C16: from Spanish tabaco, perhaps from Taino: leaves rolled for smoking, assumed by the Spaniards to be the name of the plant

Derived forms of tobacco

  • tobaccoless, adjective

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