Today we take a journey to that most essential part of Pipe Smoking: Tobacco!
Over the centuries, tobacco has been called by many names. Some are strange, others obscure, and many forgotten. Here are but a few of the many monikers Tobacco has adopted over the years.
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Petunia
noun
1. Any of various widely cultivated South American plants of the genus Petunia, having alternate, entire leaves and funnel-shaped flowers in colors from white to purple.
2. An obsolete word for "tobacco plant," from Portuguese petum, from Guarani (Paraguay) pety - The word first is recorded (in German) as bittin; it survives as the regular word for tobacco only in Breton butun, but it was in use in English in 17c.
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Weed
noun
1. A plant not valued for use or beauty
2. as slang
----a. Tobacco, c. 1600
----b. Marijuana, only since 1920's
Note: Since the usage of "weed" as slang for tobacco dates to considerably earlier than its usage for Marijuana - we win?
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Sot-Weed
noun
1. Tobacco, archaic provincial usage from 14th century England
Note: This is interesting, depending on the word you decide to use as the derivation of the prefix "Sot" - this term means either "fool-weed" or "Sweet-weed" - take your pick
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Check out Past Editions of "Ye Olde Forgotten Pipe Term"
#1 - Lunt
#2 - Kinnikinnick
#3 - Estaminet & Chasse
Over the centuries, tobacco has been called by many names. Some are strange, others obscure, and many forgotten. Here are but a few of the many monikers Tobacco has adopted over the years.
--
Petunia
noun
1. Any of various widely cultivated South American plants of the genus Petunia, having alternate, entire leaves and funnel-shaped flowers in colors from white to purple.
2. An obsolete word for "tobacco plant," from Portuguese petum, from Guarani (Paraguay) pety - The word first is recorded (in German) as bittin; it survives as the regular word for tobacco only in Breton butun, but it was in use in English in 17c.
--
Weed
noun
1. A plant not valued for use or beauty
2. as slang
----a. Tobacco, c. 1600
----b. Marijuana, only since 1920's
Note: Since the usage of "weed" as slang for tobacco dates to considerably earlier than its usage for Marijuana - we win?
--
Sot-Weed
noun
1. Tobacco, archaic provincial usage from 14th century England
Note: This is interesting, depending on the word you decide to use as the derivation of the prefix "Sot" - this term means either "fool-weed" or "Sweet-weed" - take your pick
--
Check out Past Editions of "Ye Olde Forgotten Pipe Term"
#1 - Lunt
#2 - Kinnikinnick
#3 - Estaminet & Chasse
