How to Write Spelling of Cigarette Correctly

Double consonants in English words are always a cause of confusion and misspellings. Even the native speakers also fall into the dilemma of which letter to double in specific words. The spelling of cigarette is frequently mistaken as cigarrete. This article defines ‘cigarette’ with examples and a detailed explanation of how to spell the word correctly.

Cigarette: Origin, Definition, and Examples

The word Cigarette originates from Middle English in the mid-19th century. It was borrowed from the French word cigarette, which is the diminutive of cigare, meaning “cigar.”

The “-ette” is a diminutive suffix of French origin that is added to nouns to mean the smaller version of that noun. It functions the same way when added to English words like kitchenette, etiquette, and cigarette. Therefore, it means that a cigarette is the smaller form of a cigar.

Based on the dictionary, ‘cigarette’ functions as a noun. This is a thin rolled paper in a cylindrical shape with finely chopped tobacco for smoking.

There can be a list of other additives in a cigarette. It is usually wrapped in thin white paper and is much smaller than most cigars. Some herbal cigarettes are free from tobacco or nicotine.

• Could you give me a cigarette?
• Put out the cigarette now.
• He went outside and quickly lit a cigarette.
• How many cigarettes do you usually smoke in a day?

The Spelling of Cigarette: How to spell it right

‘Cigarette’ is a commonly misspelled word due to the confusion of the double consonant letters. This is a 3-syllable word, cig-a-rette. The primary stress is on the third syllable. However, it could also be pronounced with secondary stress on the first syllable, as in Cig-a-rette.

The phonetic transcription in the English dictionary is /sɪɡəˈrɛt/. However, the pronunciation greatly varies in US and UK English. The Americans pronounce the word as [si·gr·et], while the British pronunciation is [si·guh·ret].

‘Cigarette’ is usually misspelled when you try to spell out the word at once. Break it down into its root word and the suffix to spell the word right.

Cigar (root word) + ette (suffix) = Cigarette

It will help you recall that the double consonant is in the suffix, not in the root word, ‘cigar.’

To Wrap Up

According to the dictionary, ‘cigarette’ is the correct spelling of the word. Any other variation is a spelling mistake. Remember that the spelling of cigarette is always with two t’s. If you’re confused about whether to double the “r” or “t,” this article can help. This post provides quick ways to help you spell and pronounce the word correctly.