tobacco

IPA/təˈbækəʊ/
KK[təbˈækˌo]IPA/təˈbækəʊ/

tobacco — noun

1. dried plant material from a farm crop that people roll into cigarettes or put in

1.nounB1
Definition

dried plant material from a farm crop that people roll into cigarettes or put into pipes to smoke

Example

Christopher's uncle quit smoking after using tobacco for more than thirty years.

quit tobacco — verb + noun collocation

In many countries, shops that sell tobacco products must ask for proof of age.

tobacco products — noun + noun compound

Common collocations
  • chew tobacco
  • roll tobacco
  • tobacco smoke
  • tobacco tax
  • quit tobacco
Synonyms
  • baccy

    informal British slang term for loose tobacco, never used in formal writing

  • leaf

    industry shorthand for raw tobacco, used mainly in farming or manufacturing contexts

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the substance in general. Do not use 'a tobacco' to mean a single cigarette.

Common Mistakes

He bought a tobacco at the store.
He bought some tobacco at the store.
Tobacco is uncountable when referring to the substance.
She ordered a tobacco from the waiter.
She ordered a cigarette from the waiter.
Using 'tobacco' to mean a single cigarette is incorrect.

2. a tall green plant with large soft leaves and tube-shaped flowers, belonging to

2.nounB2
Definition

a tall green plant with large soft leaves and tube-shaped flowers, belonging to the nightshade family and grown in warm regions for its leaves, which are dried and used in smoking products

Example

Hugo showed the class how to grow tobacco plants from tiny seeds in small pots.

grow tobacco plants — cultivation context

Wild tobacco grows naturally along riverbanks in many warm parts of the world.

Common collocations
  • tobacco plantation
  • tobacco field
  • grow tobacco
  • harvest tobacco
  • tobacco seedling
Synonyms
  • Nicotiana

    the scientific genus name used in botanical or gardening contexts

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific species or variety (e.g. 'many different tobaccos'). For general reference to the crop, the uncountable form is more natural ('grow tobacco').

Common Mistakes

I saw a beautiful tobacco in the botanical garden.
I saw a beautiful tobacco plant in the botanical garden.
The plant sense requires 'plant' for clarity, otherwise readers think of the smoking substance.
The farmer grows many tobaccos in his field.
The farmer grows tobacco in his field.
Use the uncountable form for the crop in general; use 'tobaccos' only for distinct species or varieties.

Word family

  • tobacco-free
    adjectiveC1
  • tobacconist
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These related terms are often confused by learners. 'Tobacco' is the dried plant material itself, sold loose or inside products. 'Nicotine' is the addictive chemical found naturally inside tobacco leaves — a person can consume nicotine without using any tobacco at all (through patches or gum). 'Smoking' is the activity of inhaling the smoke from burning tobacco. For example: 'He bought loose tobacco to roll his own cigarettes.' 'The nicotine patch helps people quit without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.' 'Smoking is banned inside most public buildings in this city.'

tobacco ↗nicotine ↗smoking ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • tobacco industry
  • tobacco company
  • tobacco product
  • tobacco leaf
  • tobacco advertising

Phrases

  • use of tobacco
  • tobacco-related illness
  • tobacco-free
  • quit tobacco

Prepositions

  • tax on tobacco
  • made from tobacco

Etymology

TaínoSpanishEnglish

The word entered English in the mid-1500s from Spanish 'tabaco', which itself came from Taíno, a language of the Caribbean. In Taíno, 'tabaco' referred either to the roll of leaves smoked or to the pipe used for inhaling. The tobacco plant is native to the Americas, and its leaves were used by Indigenous peoples long before European contact. The word spread across Europe as the practice of smoking became popular.