caporal

¹

[ kap-er-uhl, kap-uh-ral ]

noun

1. a variety of tobacco.

caporal

²

[ kap-uh-ral ]

noun

, Southwestern U.S.

1. an overseer, especially of a cattle ranch.

caporal

/ ˌkæpəˈrɑːl /

noun

1. a strong coarse dark tobacco

Word History and Origins

Origin of caporal¹

1840–50; short for French tabac du caporal tobacco of the corporal ²

Origin of caporal²

1590–1600; < Spanish: chief, manager < Italian; corporal ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of caporal¹

C19: from French tabac du caporal corporal's tobacco, denoting its superiority to tabac du soldat soldier's tobacco

Example Sentences

He took the fortune he made from selling millions of Sweet Caporal cigarettes and came here in 1880, first creating the Ocean Park neighborhood, an everyman paradise with golf, tennis, a country club — an early version of today’s golf-course homes.

From Los Angeles Times

Heirloom corn won’t be an easy sell for farmers like Isidro Caporal.

From Seattle Times

“This corn is way ahead,” said the 79-year-old Caporal as he walked down a row of hybrid corn, already 5 feet tall.

From Seattle Times

As Le Petit Caporal led his overmatched troops to a spectacular victory over the Austrian army, his chef was in a panic.

From Washington Post

OBS.—The noun "corporal," meaning a petty officer, is not derived from corpus: it comes from the French caporal, of which it is a corruption.

From Literature