tobacco

American  

[tuh-bak-oh] / təˈbæk oʊ /

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.

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tobacco British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• antitobacco adjective
• tobaccoless adjective

Etymology

Origin of tobacco

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

Example Sentences

One of the men, small and old, and yellow in the teeth and fingers with tobacco, spat into the water.

From Literature

She points to sun protection, proven skin care ingredients, and avoiding tobacco.

From Science Daily

He says that in both the tobacco and toothpaste examples, the firms were tapping into something known in behavioural science as "authority bias".

From BBC

Historically, food-stamp recipients have only been barred from buying goods such as alcohol, tobacco, supplements, hot foods and live animals.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lawyers for the plaintiffs are explicitly borrowing strategies used in the 1990s and 2000s against the tobacco industry, which faced a similar onslaught of lawsuits arguing that companies sold a harmful product.

From Barron's

Related Words

• cigarette
• crop
• smoking