tobacco

noun

to·​bac·​co tə-ˈba-(ˌ)kō 

plural tobaccos

1

: any of a genus (Nicotiana) of chiefly American plants of the nightshade family with viscid foliage and tubular flowers

especially : a tall erect annual tropical American herb (N. tabacum) cultivated for its leaves

2

: the leaves of cultivated tobacco prepared for use in smoking or chewing or as snuff

3

: manufactured products of tobacco (such as cigars or cigarettes)

also : smoking as a practice

has sworn off tobacco

4

: a moderate brown

Illustration of tobacco

• tobacco 1

Examples of tobacco in a Sentence

a farm that grows tobacco

a state tax on tobacco

Recent Examples on the Web

The event was previously held at the Songshan Creative and Cultural Park in a converted tobacco factory. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024

In 1667, she and her roofer husband were charged with enticing a child to steal tobacco. —Julia Buckley, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024

Other specialty plates include ones for bicycle enthusiasts, diabetes, tobacco heritage, universities and military branches. —Karri Peifer, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024

Baseball fans still gossip about which players might be flouting the tobacco ban. —Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish tabaco, probably from Taino, roll of tobacco leaves

First Known Use

circa 1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tobacco

• anti-tobacco
• chewing tobacco
• dipping tobacco
• Indian tobacco
• smokeless tobacco
• tobacco budworm
• tobacco hornworm
• tobacco juice
• tobacco mosaic virus
• tobacco road

Kids Definition

tobacco

noun

to·​bac·​co tə-ˈbak-ō 

plural tobaccos

1

: any of a genus of chiefly American plants of the nightshade family that have sticky leaves and tube-shaped flowers

especially : a tall upright tropical American herb with pink or white flowers that is grown for its leaves

2

: the leaves of cultivated tobacco prepared for use in smoking or chewing or as snuff

Medical Definition

tobacco

noun

to·​bac·​co tə-ˈbak-(ˌ)ō 

plural tobaccos

1

: any plant of the genus Nicotiana

especially : an annual South American herb (N. tabacum) cultivated for its leaves

2

: the leaves of cultivated tobacco prepared for use in smoking or chewing or as snuff

3

: manufactured products of tobacco

also : the use of tobacco as a practice