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

Guards seized the pillowcase, which contained 20 phones, SIM cards, a mobile hot spot, charging cables, drill bits, wrenches, tobacco, rolling papers and liquor, according to the affidavit.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Black-market tobacco is a revenue source for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's government, according to the country's opposition.

Read more on Barron's

This rise in activity in Southern areas was largely due to the invention of the cotton gin, which shifted the focus of production from tobacco to cotton.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"And there's also other cases, so people who seek to use this as a route to bring people in, and commodities, like drugs, alcohol, tobacco. Unfortunately, people are also commodities."

Read more on BBC

Philip Morris International PM -4.89%decrease; red down pointing triangle raised its full-year outlook after logging higher profit and revenue in the third quarter, boosted by continuing strength across its smokeless tobacco products.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cigarette 
• crop 
• smoking www.thesaurus.com