# cigar

/sɪˈɡɑɹ/ (US) · /sɪɡˈɑː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cigar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. tobacco roll

noun · CEFR B1

a roll of dried tobacco leaves that you smoke.

For teachers: a cylinder of tobacco rolled and wrapped with an outer covering of tobacco leaves, intended to be smoked.

- He sat on the porch after dinner and lit a cigar.
- The guest of honour celebrated the victory by lighting an expensive Cuban cigar, filling the room with a thick, aromatic smoke.

### 2. a reward or success

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a prize or success, usually used in the phrase 'close, but no cigar'.

For teachers: a metaphorical prize or acknowledgement of success; almost exclusively used in the negative idiom 'close, but no cigar' to indicate a near-miss.

- Your guess was very near the right answer, but no cigar.
- The startup's pitch was impressive and nearly secured the funding, but ultimately it was a case of 'close, but no cigar' as the investors backed a rival.

Usage: Commonly used in the fixed idiomatic expression 'close, but no cigar'.

### 3. vulgar slang for penis

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Vulgar

a very informal and rude word for the penis.

For teachers: a vulgar slang term for the penis, used in highly informal or crude contexts.

- The comedian made a crude joke involving a cigar.
- The script was rejected by the studio for containing too many vulgar double entendres involving cigars and other phallic imagery.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly vulgar and rare in standard conversation; learners should avoid using it to prevent causing offense.

## Examples

- He sat on the porch smoking a cigar after dinner.
- The celebration concluded with the guests gathering in the lounge to share expensive cigars and stories.
- While cigarettes are mass-produced with paper filters, a premium cigar consists entirely of fermented tobacco, requiring a specific humidity level to maintain its structural integrity and flavor profile.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.