cigarette

noun

cig·​a·​rette ˌsi-gə-ˈret How to pronounce cigarette (audio)
ˈsi-gə-ˌret
variants or less commonly cigaret
: a slender roll of cut tobacco enclosed in paper and meant to be smoked
also : a similar roll of another substance (such as marijuana)

Examples of cigarette in a Sentence

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.
As the landscape of lung cancer patients shifts to more nonsmokers — defined as people who have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime — screening guidelines based on risk rather than smoking history could save more lives. — Meeri Kim, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 The image prompted mixed reactions from followers, with several questioning the cigarette. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Faced with declining revenue on untaxed cigarette sales, a traditionally reliable source of income, the tribe has diversified into cannabis dispensaries, music festivals and rodeos. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 Short said the tobacco strung at the fair — which was grown at the nearby Oxford Tobacco Research Station — will be sold to a contractor and likely go into cigarettes. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cigarette

Word History

Etymology

French cigarette, diminutive of cigare cigar, from Spanish cigarro

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cigarette was in 1832

Phrases Containing cigarette

Rhymes for cigarette

See All Rhymes for cigarette

Browse Nearby Words

cigaresque
cigarette
cigarette beetle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cigarette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cigarette. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cigarette

noun
cig·​a·​rette ˌsig-ə-ˈret How to pronounce cigarette (audio)
ˈsig-ə-ˌret
: a small roll of cut tobacco wrapped in paper for smoking
Etymology

from French cigarette, literally, "little cigar"

More from Merriam-Webster on cigarette

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cigarette

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