tobacco
tuh-BA-koh
Tobacco (noun) means a plant of the genus Nicotiana, grown for its leaves. Example: “Tall tobacco grew in neat rows across the sunny hillside fields.”
noun
1
A plant of the genus Nicotiana, grown for its leaves.
"Tall tobacco grew in neat rows across the sunny hillside fields."
"The botanist pointed out a tobacco plant with its large, sticky leaves."
"Farmers in the region have grown tobacco for generations."
2
The cured leaves of the tobacco plant, used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.
"The shop sold pipes and fragrant tobacco in small tins."
"Smoke from his pipe carried the sweet smell of tobacco across the porch."
"He rolled his own cigarettes using loose tobacco."
How to use tobacco
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe plant, or its dried leaves, used to make cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco.
Common pairings
chewing tobacco
tobacco leaf
tobacco industry
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Word forms
- Plural
- tobaccos, tobaccoes
- Third person singular
- tobaccos
- Past tense
- tobaccoed
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Tall _____ grew in neat rows across the sunny hillside fields.
Etymology
Recorded in English from 1588, borrowed via Spanish tabaco, itself likely from a Caribbean language word for a pipe or roll used for smoking.
Class of 1588
tobacco joined the language around 1588.
See the full Class of 1588 →
Synonyms
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Rhymes for tobacco
See all rhymes for tobacco →Frequently asked questions
What does “tobacco” mean?
The word “tobacco” means a plant of the genus Nicotiana, grown for its leaves. In plain terms, the plant, or its dried leaves, used to make cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco.
How do you pronounce “tobacco”?
“Tobacco” is pronounced tuh-BA-koh (/təˈbækoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “tobacco” in a sentence?
Here is “tobacco” used in a sentence: “Farmers in the region have grown tobacco for generations.”
What part of speech is “tobacco”?
“Tobacco” is a noun.
Where does the word “tobacco” come from?
The word “tobacco” dates back to around 1588 and comes from Spanish. Recorded in English from 1588, borrowed via Spanish tabaco, itself likely from a Caribbean language word for a pipe or roll used for smoking.
Is “tobacco” a common word?
“Tobacco” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tobacco” have?
“Tobacco” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a plant of the genus Nicotiana, grown for its leaves.
What is the difference between "tobacco" and "nicotine"?
"Tobacco" refers to the plant of the genus Nicotiana or its cured leaves used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. "Nicotine" is the addictive chemical compound naturally found within the tobacco plant, so tobacco is the material and nicotine is one substance it contains.
Is "tobacco" a countable or uncountable noun?
"Tobacco" is usually uncountable when it refers to the cured leaf as a substance, so you say "some tobacco" rather than "a tobacco." It can become countable when referring to distinct types or varieties, as in "a blend of three tobaccos."
What are common collocations with the word "tobacco"?
"Tobacco" frequently appears in compounds and phrases such as "tobacco leaf," "tobacco plant," "pipe tobacco," "chewing tobacco," and "the tobacco industry." It also combines with words describing use or trade, as in "tobacco smoke" and "tobacco farming."
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