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.

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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

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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

Stopping Celtic earning 10 titles in a row was enormous but too often it was a case of close but no cigar and at Rangers, that's not good enough.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

O’Brien, gamely holding a cigar, introduces the museum director, who begins by noting that Freud’s office couch is actually housed in London.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 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

ZZ’s Club in Miami—where Dezer is a member—features a Japanese restaurant, a sports bar and a cigar terrace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

Mr. Pinkerton seemed to emerge through a cloud of cigar smoke, his gray eyes beaming.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan