The cheroot is a cylindrical cigar with both ends clipped during manufacture. Since cheroots do not taper, they are inexpensive to roll mechanically, and their low cost makes them popular.
The word cheroot comes from French cheroute, from Tamil curuttu/churuttu/shuruttu (சுருட்டு), roll of tobacco. This word could have been absorbed into the French language from Tamil during the 18th century, when the French were trying to stamp their presence in South India. The word could have then been absorbed into English from French.
Cheroots sold in the market in Dawei, Southern Myanmar.
Cheroots are traditional in Myanmar and India, and consequently popular among the British during the days of the British Empire. They are often associated with Burma in literature: