snuff
n. uncountablen. a type of tobacco that is ground into a fine powder so people can breathe it in through their nose. It was very popular in the past but is less common today.
n. finely powdered tobacco intended for inhalation through the nostrils. Often associated with historical social customs or specific regional traditions.
He kept his snuff in a small silver box.
The museum display featured several ornate boxes used for carrying snuff during the eighteenth century.
While smoking became the dominant form of tobacco consumption in the twentieth century, the ritual of taking snuff persists in certain traditional circles and specialized social clubs.
Late Middle English, from Middle Dutch snuffen (“to snuff, sniff, snuffle”). Related to Dutch snuiven (“to sniff”), Middle Low German snûve (“pose, head-cold”), German Schnupfen (“head-cold”). The noun is probably from Dutch snuf (“snuff”), an abbreviation of snuftabak, snuiftabak (“snuff”). Related to sniff (compare Dutch snuffen (“snuff”), German schnupf (“snuff”), French schnouff (“junk”)).
From Middle English snoffe, snuffe, of uncertain origin. Compare Middle Dutch snuf, snof (“snuff”), Dutch sneuvelen (“to die in battle”).
From Middle English snuffen, snoffen, from the noun (see Etymology 2 above).
Uncountable when referring to the substance; countable only when referring to specific varieties or blends.