tobacco
tobacco
UK[təˈbæk.əʊ]US[təˈbæk.oʊ]
n
the dried leaves of a particular plant, prepared for smoking in cigarettes, pipes, etc., or for chewing or sniffing.
n
the plant from which these leaves come, which has large leaves and pink or white flowers.
Etymology
the word 'tobacco' entered english in the late 16th century from spanish 'tabaco'. its ultimate origin is disputed but is likely from the taino (arawak) language of the caribbean, where it referred to a roll of tobacco leaves or the pipe used for smoking. the spanish adopted the term for the plant itself after encountering it in the americas. the word's journey from a specific indigenous term to its global, standardized usage exemplifies the linguistic impact of the columbian exchange, where new world commodities and their names were integrated into european languages.
Analysis
the word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in english.
Examples
the government has launched a campaign to warn people about the dangers of tobacco.
the region's economy was historically dependent on the cultivation of tobacco.
the agreement included restrictions on tobacco advertising.