\To*bac"co\, n. [Sp. tabaco, fr. the Indian tabaco the
tube or pipe in which the Indians or Caribbees smoked this
plant. Some derive the word from Tabaco, a province of
Yucatan, where it was said to be first found by the
Spaniards; others from the island of Tobago, one of the
Caribbees. But these derivations are very doubtful.]
1. (Bot.) An American plant ({Nicotiana Tabacum}) of the
   Nightshade family, much used for smoking and chewing, and
   as snuff. As a medicine, it is narcotic, emetic, and
   cathartic. Tobacco has a strong, peculiar smell, and an
   acrid taste.
Note: The name is extended to other species of the genus, and
      to some unrelated plants, as Indian tobacco ({Nicotiana
      rustica}, and also {Lobelia inflata}), mountain tobacco
      ({Arnica montana}), and Shiraz tobacco ({Nicotiana
      Persica}).
2. The leaves of the plant prepared for smoking, chewing,
   etc., by being dried, cured, and manufactured in various
   ways.
{Tobacco box} (Zo["o]l.), the common American skate.
{Tobacco camphor}. (Chem.) See {Nicotianine}.
{Tobacco man}, a tobacconist. [R.]
{Tobacco pipe}.
   (a) A pipe used for smoking, made of baked clay, wood, or
       other material.
   (b) (Bot.) Same as {Indian pipe}, under {Indian}.
{Tobacco-pipe clay} (Min.), a species of clay used in making
   tobacco pipes; -- called also {cimolite}.
{Tobacco-pipe fish}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Pipemouth}.
{Tobacco stopper}, a small plug for pressing down the tobacco
   in a pipe as it is smoked.
{Tobacco worm} (Zo["o]l.), the larva of a large hawk moth
   ({Sphinx, or Phlegethontius, Carolina}). It is dark green,
   with seven oblique white stripes bordered above with dark
   brown on each side of the body. It feeds upon the leaves
   of tobacco and tomato plants, and is often very injurious
   to the tobacco crop. See Illust. of {Hawk moth}.