caporal

[ kap-er-uh l, kap-uh-ral ]

/ ˈkæp ər əl, ˌkæp əˈræl /

noun

a variety of tobacco.

Nearby words

caponata, capone, capone, al, caponette, caponize, caporal, caporegime, caporetto, capot, capotasto, capote

Origin of caporal

1840–50; short for French tabac du caporal tobacco of the corporal²

Definition for caporal (2 of 2)

caporal

[ kap-uh-ral ]

/ ˈkæp əˌræl /

noun Southwestern U.S.

an overseer, especially of a cattle ranch.

Origin of caporal

1590–1600; < Spanish: chief, manager < Italian; see corporal²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for caporal

A brown packet of caporal and a book of cigarette-papers—a cigarette rolled—how good it would be!
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He entered the shop and emerged, not with caporal and cigarette-papers, but with the twelve Honduras stamps.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
And he took a caporal from the packet before him and slowly lit it.
The White Lie|William Le Queux
He took up his porcelain pipe and filled it from the blue packet of caporal that lay on the table with the oilskin cover.
The Belovd Vagabond|William J. Locke

Couldn't find a bit of tobacco fit to smoke till we came to Strasburg, where I got some caporal.
The History of Pendennis|William Makepeace Thackeray

British Dictionary definitions for caporal

caporal

/ (ˌkæpəˈrɑːl) /

noun

a strong coarse dark tobacco

Word Origin for caporal

C19: from French tabac du caporal corporal's tobacco, denoting its superiority to tabac du soldat soldier's tobacco

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012