secondhand smoke

American

noun

smoke from a cigarette, cigar, or pipe that is involuntarily inhaled, especially by nonsmokers.

Etymology

Origin of secondhand smoke

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Breathing in secondhand smoke in prison is “inhuman and degrading treatment” if the judges say so, while not being allowed to produce secondhand smoke is a violation of the “right to private life.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

In affected areas, residents urgently need to protect themselves from inhaling wildfire smoke, which is comparable in composition to secondhand smoke without the nicotine.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Meanwhile Australia’s bans in areas like beaches and parks aren't necessarily about secondhand smoke "because there’s plenty of fresh air around".

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2024

But those areas are not contiguous, and the practical effect is that secondhand smoke is present in varying degrees throughout the casino floor.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Research on the effects of secondhand smoke was relatively new.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023