cigarette
SIH-guh-reht
Cigarette (noun) means a thin roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper, meant for smoking. Example: “The ashtray on the balcony was full of old cigarette ends.”
noun
1
A thin roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper, meant for smoking.
"The ashtray on the balcony was full of old cigarette ends."
"She lit a cigarette outside the office."
"He quit smoking cigarettes last year."
"He rose to light my cigarette, then sank back into his wicker chair contentedly. The tea was weak, but not cold, thanks to the hot-plate."
— Delano Ames (1956)
How to use cigarette
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA thin, paper-wrapped tobacco stick for smoking — smaller and milder than a cigar.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
light a cigarette
pack of cigarettes
smoke a cigarette
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Word forms
- Plural
- cigarettes
- Third person singular
- cigarettes
- Past tense
- cigaretted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The ashtray on the balcony was full of old _____ ends.
Etymology
Borrowed from French cigarette, a diminutive of cigare (from Spanish cigarro) — literally a "little cigar".
Related words
Rhymes for cigarette
See all rhymes for cigarette →Frequently asked questions
What does “cigarette” mean?
The word “cigarette” means a thin roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper, meant for smoking. In plain terms, a thin, paper-wrapped tobacco stick for smoking — smaller and milder than a cigar.
How do you pronounce “cigarette”?
“Cigarette” is pronounced SIH-guh-reht (/ˈsɪɡəɹɛt/ in IPA).
How do you use “cigarette” in a sentence?
Here is “cigarette” used in a sentence: “She lit a cigarette outside the office.”
What part of speech is “cigarette”?
“Cigarette” is a noun.
Where does the word “cigarette” come from?
The word “cigarette” comes from French. Borrowed from French cigarette, a diminutive of cigare (from Spanish cigarro) — literally a "little cigar".
Is “cigarette” a common word?
“Cigarette” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between a cigarette and a cigar?
A cigarette is a thin roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper, while a cigar is a thicker roll of tobacco wrapped in a tobacco leaf rather than paper. Cigarettes are typically small, machine-made, and smoked quickly; cigars are larger and burn much longer.
Is it spelled cigarette or cigaret?
Cigarette is the standard spelling throughout the English-speaking world. Cigaret is a rare, dated American variant that some dictionaries still record, but it looks like a misspelling to most modern readers and is best avoided.
What verbs are commonly used with cigarette?
You light a cigarette, smoke it, puff on it or drag on it, and finally stub it out or put it out. "Have a cigarette" is also common in informal speech. These fixed collocations sound far more natural than alternatives such as "burn a cigarette."
What is the difference between a cigarette and an e-cigarette?
A cigarette burns shredded tobacco wrapped in paper, producing smoke. An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that heats a liquid — usually containing nicotine — into a vapor, so nothing is burned and no tobacco leaf or paper is involved.
