Page "Cigar" Paragraph 3

The word " cigar " originated from sikar, the Yucatec Mayan word for smoking, which became cigarro in Spanish, probably from the Mayan sikar (" to smoke rolled tobacco leaves " – from sik, " tobacco ;") or from the Spanish word cigarra (" grasshopper ").

However, the word itself, and variations on it, did not come into general use until 1730.

New names for cigars include " Jules ", " Havana ", " Vitole " and " Puro ".

An older alternate spelling is " segar ", not uncommon in 19th century signs and advertisements.