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.
According to a survey conducted for the French League Against Cancer, 78% of respondents wanted to do away with cigarettes in new public spaces. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 30 May 2025 Smokers can still enjoy a cigarette with their espresso and croissant, provided they’re seated at a café. Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025 For example, smoking a cigarette causes just 0.21 micromort and would therefore be significantly less risky than getting out of bed in the morning at the age of 45 (which results in six micromorts). Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 23 May 2025 Americans are so lonely that the US Surgeon General’s office released an advisory in 2023 stating that social isolation has an impact on mortality comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Eliza Brooke, Vox, 23 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Cigarette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cigarette. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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