French word

tabac

Pronunciation

IPA/taba/

Meaning

  • masculine nountobacco

Example

Il a arrêté de fumer du tabac.

He stopped smoking tobacco.

Illustration for tabac (tobacco)

More examples

Je suis allé au bureau de tabac.

I went to the tobacco shop.

Core concept

A cultivated plant whose processed leaves become a substance used for smoking or snuffing.

Common phrases

  • bureau de tabac

    tobacco shop

  • acheter du tabac

    buy tobacco

  • paquet de tabac

    packet of tobacco

Similar words

cigarette: A thin paper-wrapped tobacco product designed to be lit and smoked.
clope: An informal word for one cigarette.
cigare: A large, slow-burning tobacco product made by rolling tobacco leaves.
bureau de tabac: A small shop specializing in tobacco, stamps, lottery tickets, and similar goods.

Definition in French

Désigne la plante Nicotiana et le produit obtenu de ses feuilles, utilisé surtout pour être fumé (cigarette, cigare) ou prisé.

Word origin

French tabac came through Spanish tabaco from a Taíno word of the Caribbean and is cognate with English tobacco.

Usage tips

  • Tabac is masculine, giving le tabac, du tabac, and au tabac in standard phrases.

Other meanings

  • tobacco shopnoun

Related words

  • tabagismesmokingnoun
  • tabaquistetobacco retailernoun

Word lists with this word