faggot

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableoffensivetaboo

   A deeply offensive slur used to demean gay men; it should not be used to describe anyone.

   Grammar: Mentioned only when discussing the word itself or hate speech.

   Educators explain that faggot is a slur and that using it harms others.

   The report documented how the word faggot was shouted during harassment incidents.

   A dictionary marks faggot as a highly offensive term and warns against it.

2. 2nouncountableBritish

   In Britain, a traditional dish of seasoned minced pork and offal shaped into a ball and baked.

   Grammar: Usually plural in this food sense: faggots and peas.

   The pub served faggots with mashed potatoes and onion gravy.

   Her grandmother cooked faggots every Sunday in the Midlands.

   Some butchers in Wales still sell homemade faggots.

3. 3nouncountablearchaic

   A bundle of sticks or twigs tied together, used as fuel.

   Grammar: Archaic; the usual spelling in American English is fagot.

   The old cottage kept a faggot of twigs by the fire.

   Villagers once gathered faggots for winter heating.

   The historian described a faggot bound with rope.

Word forms

Common combinations

faggots and peas

The cafe menu listed faggots and peas as a classic dish.

faggot of sticks

He carried a faggot of sticks to the hearth.

offensive slur

Faggot is an offensive slur and should never be used.

Synonyms and how they differ

meatball

A meatball is a general round meat dish, while a British faggot is made with pork offal and herbs.

bundle

Bundle is the everyday word for things tied together, while faggot is archaic for sticks.

Word family

fagot noun

an alternative spelling for a bundle of sticks

faggoting noun

a type of embroidery or a way of tying sticks

Commonly confused: faggot or fagot?

Practice

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