Plural of burley; a type of tobacco with large leaves, often used in cigarettes and pipe tobacco.
From 'burley,' which may derive from the appearance or growth pattern of the plant, possibly from 'burly' (large or thick). The exact origin is uncertain but possibly dialectal English.
Burley tobacco became hugely important to American agriculture and culture—it's lighter and less harsh than other tobaccos, which is why it became so popular in cigarettes.
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