cigar

American  

[si-gahr] / sɪˈgɑr /

noun

1. a more or less cylindrical roll of tobacco cured for smoking, of any of various lengths, thicknesses, degrees of straightness, etc., usually wrapped in a tobacco leaf.

---

idioms

1. no cigar, not being a winning or successful effort, as if not good enough to earn a cigar as a prize.

   He made a good try at fielding the ball, but no cigar.

cigar British  

/ sɪˈɡɑː /

noun

1. a cylindrical roll of cured tobacco leaves, for smoking

---

Other Word Forms

• cigarless adjective
• cigarlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cigar

First recorded in 1625–35, cigar is from the Spanish word cigarro

Compare meaning

How does cigar compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cigarillo vs. cigar

Explanation

A cigar is a fairly large rolled bundle of tobacco that smokers light and take puffs from. A cigar is usually brown, and it's almost always fatter and longer than a cigarette. Cigar smoking tends to be more of a special event than cigarette smoking, and the ritual involves cutting off the cigar's closed end, lighting the other side with a match, and puffing the smoke lightly. Another difference between cigar and cigarette smokers is that cigar smoke isn't usually inhaled, but only drawn into the mouth. The word cigar comes from the Spanish cigarro, most likely from a Mayan root, sicar, "to smoke rolled tobacco leaves."

Example Sentences

Tolkan was also well known for drilling Maverick and Goose with swift reprimands and tough love between puffs of his cigar as their commanding officer, Tom “Stinger” Jardian, in the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

“This arrogant man came up to me with a cigar and said, ‘Let me guess, this is your old man’s car,’” said Vera.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Cuba on Saturday announced the cancellation of its iconic cigar festival, amid a major energy crisis sparked by US pressure on the cash-strapped island.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

Tampa drew fame for its cigar factories and Cuban sandwiches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

Phil Resch relit his cigar, shifted about on the bucket seat of the car, trying to make himself comfortable.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick