noun pl. tobaccos -·cos

1. any of a genus (Nicotiana) of chiefly tropical American plants of the nightshade family, with hairy, sticky foliage and long-tubed, white, yellow, greenish, or purple flowers; esp., the species (N. tabacum) now widely cultivated for its leaves
2. the leaves of certain of these plants, prepared for smoking, chewing, or snuffing
3. products prepared from these leaves; cigars, cigarettes, snuff, etc.
4. the use of tobacco for smoking, etc.

Etymology: Sp tabaco < ?; perhaps an old Sp name transferred to the New World plant