tobacco

noun

to·​bac·​co tə-ˈba-(ˌ)kō How to pronounce tobacco (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Full Proof features notes of vanilla, fresh tobacco, leather, and subtle clove on the nose, rich in honey sweetness on the palate, with touches of raisins, black pepper and a smoky oak finish that quickly transforms into toffee and dark chocolate. Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Oct. 2025 Non-tribal members are welcome to tend the fire, which should be fueled by only wood and tobacco. Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025 If this trend continued, more than 400,000 city residents would be killed by tobacco, with more than a million more suffering from heart attacks, lung disease, strokes, and cancer. Dr. Tom Frieden, Time, 30 Sep. 2025 Though the site is still operational today, scenes inside the family's brewhouse were shot in a former tobacco warehouse on Liverpool's Stanley Dock. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tobacco

Word History

Etymology

Spanish tabaco, probably from Taino, roll of tobacco leaves

First Known Use

circa 1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tobacco was circa 1565

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tobacco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tobacco. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tobacco

noun
to·​bac·​co tə-ˈbak-ō How to pronounce tobacco (audio)
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 How to pronounce tobacco (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tobacco

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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