Fag | Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Fag By Etymonline

Origin and history of fag

fag(v.1)

"to droop, decline in strength, become weary" (intransitive), 1520s, of uncertain origin; OED is content with the "common view" that it is an alteration of flag (v.) in its sense of "droop, go limp." Transitive sense of "to make (someone or something) fatigued, tire by labor" is first attested 1826. Related: Fagged; fagging.

also from 1520s

fag(n.1)

British slang for "cigarette" (originally, especially, the butt of a smoked cigarette), 1888, probably from fag "loose piece, last remnant of cloth" (late 14c., as in fag-end "extreme end, loose piece," 1610s), which perhaps is related to fag (v.), which could make it a variant of flag (v.).

also from 1888

fag(v.2)

"put to work at certain duties, compel to work for one's benefit," 1806, from British public school slang fag (n.) "junior student who does certain duties for a senior" (1785), from fag (v.1). Related: Fagdom (1902); faggery "fatiguing labor" (1853). Brain-fag (1850) was an old term for "mental fatigue."

also from 1806

fag(n.2)

shortening of faggot (n.2) "male homosexual," by 1921. Fag hag "heterosexual woman who keeps company with gay men" attested by 1969.

Entries linking to fag

faggot(n.2)

"male homosexual," 1914, American English slang, probably from earlier contemptuous term for "woman" (1590s), especially an old and unpleasant one, in reference to faggot (n.1) "bundle of sticks," as something awkward that has to be carried (compare baggage "worthless woman," 1590s). It may also be reinforced by Yiddish faygele "homosexual" (n.), literally "little bird." It also may have roots in British public school slang noun fag "a junior who does certain duties for a senior" (1785), with suggestions of "catamite," from fag (v.). This also spun off a verb (see fag (v.2).

He [the prefect] used to fag me to blow the chapel organ for him. ["Boy's Own Paper," Aug. 3, 1889]

Other obsolete British senses of faggot were "man hired into military service merely to fill out the ranks at muster" (1700) and "vote manufactured for party purposes" (1817).

The explanation that male homosexuals were called faggots because they were burned at the stake as punishment is an etymological urban legend. Burning sometimes was a punishment meted out to homosexuals in Christian Europe (on the suggestion of the Biblical fate of Sodom and Gomorrah), but in England, where parliament had made homosexuality a capital offense in 1533, hanging was the method prescribed. Use of faggot in connection with public executions had long been obscure English historical trivia by the time the word began to be used for "male homosexual" in 20th century American slang, whereas the contemptuous slang word for "woman" (in common with the other possible sources or influences listed here) was in active use early 20c., by D.H. Lawrence and James Joyce, among others.

flag(n.1)

"cloth ensign," late 15c., now in all modern Germanic languages (German Flagge, Dutch vlag, Danish flag, Swedish flagg, etc.) but apparently first recorded in English, of unknown origin, but likely connected to flag (v.1) or else an independent imitative formation "expressing the notion of something flapping in the wind" [OED]. A guess considered less likely is that it is from flag (n.2) on the notion of being square and flat.

Meaning "name and editorial information on a newspaper" is by 1956. U.S. Flag Day (1894) is in reference to the adopting of the Stars and Stripes by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.

Trends of fag

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/fagCopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag">Etymology of fag by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of fag. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2025, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/fagCopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of fag," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed December 18, 2025, https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of fag." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag. Accessed 18 December, 2025.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of fag." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag (accessed December 18, 2025).CopyTrendingDictionary entries near fag

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