Nicotiana
/ˌnɪkəˈtiː.ə.nə/noun
A genus of flowering plants that includes tobacco.
Did you know?The genus name Nicotiana was created in honor of Jean Nicot, the French diplomat who helped popularize tobacco in Europe, and the plant’s scientific name still carries that 16th-century introduction into history.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
Nicot
“The surname of Jean Nicot, a French diplomat and scholar”
16th Century
Latin
Nicotiana
“A learned botanical name formed to honor Nicot”
1753
New Latin
Nicotiana
“The botanical genus name standardized by Linnaean taxonomy”
Modern English
English
nicotiana
“A genus of tobacco plants”