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.
Still, many bans remain in place — tobacco production, long a staple of the Caribbean island, would remain in state hands. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 While Iranian businesses have been cut off from legal finance and trade, the IRGC has had greater black-market opportunities- smuggling goods such as alcohol, narcotics, weapons and tobacco. — Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Wheat farmers in Britain, sugar beet growers in central Europe, tobacco planters in Virginia and cotton cultivators across the American South all embraced the new fertilizer. — Edward D. Melillo, Fortune, 27 July 2026 This turned North and South Carolina, with lots of old tobacco fields and few new hemp production rules, into vibrant marketplaces for what is essentially recreational marijuana. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 27 July 2026 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

Phrases Containing tobacco

Rhymes for tobacco

See All Rhymes for tobacco

Browse Nearby Words

tobac
tobacco
tobacco barn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tobacco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tobacco. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of tobacco for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tobacco

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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