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

Her father still inspected tobacco leaves by oil lamp in the barn just past the outhouse, and someone traveled into town once a week to buy ice for the icebox. — Destenie Nock, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026

The term refers to when tobacco companies in the 1990s were forced to pay billions of dollars for misleading the public about the safety and potential harms of their products, and subsequently saw their power and influence dramatically diminished. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

In states such as Kentucky, where coal, tobacco, and manufacturing have dried up, major private-sector employers are few and far between. — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026

Some legal experts compare this moment to landmark litigation against tobacco companies in the 1990s that forced them into big settlements and changed their behavior — and the public discussion about the risks of cigarettes. — John Ruwitch, NPR, 18 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for tobacco

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

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