Definition of the word fag end

The term "fag end" originally referred to the final portion of a cigarette that had been smoked, in British English dialect. "Fag" is an old slang term for a cigarette, derived from "faggot," a word for a bundle of sticks used for fuel that was popular in the 1880s. When a cigarette is smoked, only a small portion at the end, known as the filter tip or butt, is left. This leftover portion is called the "fag end" because it is the remaining portion of the cigarette, much like the burned-out butt of a faggot. Although smoking rates have decreased, the term "fag end" continues to be used in everyday English, with the broader meaning of referring to any remaining portion, no matter the original object. It is often used to describe the final remaining scraps or portions of something, from food to material goods.