tabak

Tabak is a term with multiple meanings depending on language and context. In many European languages, tabak (or tabák) denotes tobacco—the plant Nicotiana tabacum and the products derived from it, such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. The usage in languages such as German, Dutch, Czech, and Danish derives from tabaco/tabac, borrowed from the Taíno word tabako or tabaco encountered by Europeans in the 16th century; the binomial name Nicotiana tabacum honors Jean Nicot, a French diplomat who helped popularize tobacco in Europe.

In Turkish, tabak means plate, dish, or platter, a sense unrelated to tobacco.

Historically, tobacco spread rapidly after European contact with the Americas, becoming a major global commodity and a central part of social, economic, and cultural life. Its production expanded in the Caribbean and the Americas and later in other regions, fueling trade and taxation. In modern times, tobacco products are regulated worldwide because of health concerns, with policies ranging from labeling and advertising restrictions to smoking bans in public places.