tobacco

[tuh-bak-oh]

noun

plural

tobaccos, tobaccoes 

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.

3. any product or products made from such leaves.

4. any of various similar plants of other genera.

tobacco

/ təˈbækəʊ /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• tobaccoless adjective
• antitobacco adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tobacco¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tobacco¹

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

Example Sentences

In prior California ballot initiatives, Steyer successfully supported efforts to close a corporate tax loophole and to raise tobacco taxes, and fought oil-industry-backed efforts to roll back environmental law.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Co-author Dr Phillip Baker, from the University of Sydney, said the answer was "a strong global public health response - like the coordinated efforts to challenge the tobacco industry".

Read more on BBC

The international team of researchers also pushed back against criticism of their work on UPFs, saying efforts to "manufacture scientific doubt" on the subject were similar to tactics used by the tobacco industry.

Read more on Barron's

The air carried the scent of pipe tobacco and imported cigars, mixed with the spice of cologne and the saddle smell of expensive leather.

Read more on Literature

There had been a number of tobacco farms in the region, where Colored people had worked going all the way back to slavery.

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Related Words

• cigarette 
• crop 
• smoking www.thesaurus.com