# faggot

/ˈfæɡət/ (US) · /fˈæɡət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/faggot
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 2. a meatball

noun · CEFR C1 · British English

a traditional British food made from pieces of meat (usually pork) mixed with herbs and breadcrumbs.

For teachers: a traditional British culinary dish consisting of meatballs made from minced offal, especially pork liver and heart, mixed with herbs.

- We had traditional faggots with mashed potatoes and peas for dinner.
- The butcher sold handmade faggots wrapped in caul fat, prepared according to a traditional regional recipe from the West Midlands.

Usage: Usually used in the plural when referring to the food item.

### 3. a bundle of sticks

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · British English

a group of sticks or branches tied together to be used as fuel for a fire.

For teachers: a bundle of sticks, twigs, or branches bound together and used as fuel or in construction.

- The old man carried a heavy faggot of wood back to his cottage.
- Historical accounts describe how faggots were piled high to create the massive bonfires used for signaling between hilltop beacons.

Teaching tip: This sense is largely historical or literary; in modern speech, 'bundle of sticks' is preferred to avoid confusion with the slur.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.