cigarette
gb/sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/ us/sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/
A2
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
small roll of tobacco for smoking
A small stick made of cut tobacco wrapped in paper that people smoke.
Usage pattern:
smoke [a cigarette]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cigarette' with 'cigar', but a cigar is larger and made with whole tobacco leaves rather than cut tobacco in paper.
Synonyms
smoke (Informal shorthand, often used in casual speech to refer to a cigarette.)
Antonyms
nicotine patch (A device used to help stop smoking, opposite in purpose to a cigarette.)
Collocations
light a cigarette
|smoke a cigarette
|pack of cigarettes
|cigarette smoke
|cigarette butt
Themes
daily life
|health
|addiction
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He stepped outside to smoke a cigarette.
- The doctor advised her to quit cigarettes for her health.
- There was a strong smell of cigarette smoke in the room.
- He flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray.
- She bought a pack of cigarettes at the corner store.
Learner examples
- He is smoking a cigarette.
- I see a cigarette on the table.
- She buys cigarettes every day.
- This is my last cigarette today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cigarette
IPA
GB/sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/
US/sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/
Syllables & stress
ci - gar - ette (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (gar)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cigarette
- Plural: cigarettes
Word family
Expressions
chain-smoke cigarettes
1/t͡ʃˈeɪn smˈoʊk sˌɪɡɚˈɛts/
fixed phrase
smoke cigarettes one after another
To smoke one cigarette right after finishing another, many times in a row.
Examples
- During stressful times, he tends to chain-smoke cigarettes.
- She chain-smoked cigarettes while working on the report.
cigarette break
1/sˌɪɡɚˈɛt bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
short work break to smoke
A short time away from work to smoke a cigarette.
Examples
- They went outside for a quick cigarette break.
- I usually take my cigarette break at 3 p.m.
light up a cigarette
1/lˈaɪt ˈʌp ə sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/
fixed phrase
ignite a cigarette for smoking
To start burning a cigarette so you can smoke it.
Examples
- She lit up a cigarette as soon as she sat down.
- He stepped outside to light up a cigarette.
put out a cigarette
1/pˈʊt ˈaʊt ə sˌɪɡɚˈɛt/
fixed phrase
extinguish a burning cigarette
To stop a cigarette from burning, usually by pressing it against something.
Examples
- Please put out your cigarette before coming inside.
- He put out his cigarette in the ashtray.
smoke like a chimney
1/smˈoʊk lˈaɪk ə t͡ʃˈɪmni/
idiom
informal
smoke tobacco very often
To smoke cigarettes or cigars all the time.
Examples
- Ever since he lost his job, he’s been smoking like a chimney.
- My uncle smokes like a chimney—he goes through two packs a day.
- He used to smoke like a chimney before he finally quit last year.
- My uncle used to smoke like a chimney before he quit.
- She used to smoke like a chimney before she quit last year.
- My grandfather smoked like a chimney for decades and now has serious lung problems.
- She only drinks socially, but her boyfriend smokes like a chimney.