Illustration of tobacco
- tobacco 1
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
Examples of tobacco in a Sentence
a farm that grows tobacco
a state tax on tobacco
Recent Examples on the Web
Internal bodily processes naturally produce some, while others come from environmental factors like air pollution and tobacco smoke, says Moyer.
—
Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Kretek describes itself as an importer, marketer and distributor of specialty cigars, tobacco, tobacco alternatives and accessories.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
And just as in tobacco smoke, there are volatile compounds in a puff of marijuana that can harm sensitive tissues in the mouth and lungs.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
Ferguson likened cannabis to alcohol and tobacco — products that are commonplace but not harmless.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tobacco
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Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
Kretek describes itself as an importer, marketer and distributor of specialty cigars, tobacco, tobacco alternatives and accessories.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
And just as in tobacco smoke, there are volatile compounds in a puff of marijuana that can harm sensitive tissues in the mouth and lungs.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
Ferguson likened cannabis to alcohol and tobacco — products that are commonplace but not harmless.
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tobacco
Cite this Entry
“Tobacco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tobacco. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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