cheroot
UK[ʃəˈruːt]US[ʃəˈruːt]
n
a type of cigar with both ends open and usually cut straight
Etymology
the word 'cheroot' entered english in the late 17th century from the tamil word 'curuṭṭu' (சுருட்டு), meaning 'roll' or 'something rolled', referring to the cigar's form. it arrived via the french adaptation 'cheroute', a testament to the colonial trade routes that brought goods and their names from south india to europe. the tamil term itself is a descriptive noun derived from the verb 'curu' (to roll), perfectly capturing the object's defining manufacturing process. thus, the word's journey from a dravidian verb describing an action to a specific noun in english illustrates the direct borrowing of a culturally specific item and its name.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in english.
Examples
he lit a cheroot and sat back in his leather chair.
the distinctive, pungent aroma of a cheroot filled the small study.
she preferred a slim cheroot to the larger, capped cigars.