noun

shag

SHAG

Shag (noun) means a tangled or shaggy mass of hair or fibres, or a thick, rough carpet pile. Example: “The old lounge had a brown shag carpet from the seventies.”

noun

A tangled or shaggy mass of hair or fibres, or a thick, rough carpet pile.

"The old lounge had a brown shag carpet from the seventies."

Coarse, shredded tobacco.

"He rolled his own cigarettes from a tin of shag."

A cormorant-like seabird found along European coasts (Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

"A shag stood drying its wings on the rocks."

verb

To have sex with someone (crude slang).

"The tabloid claimed the pair had been shagging for months."

How to use shag

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRough, shaggy hair or fibre; a type of loose tobacco; a seabird; or, in crude British slang, to have sex.

When to use it

The sexual sense is vulgar slang, mainly British — avoid it in formal or polite contexts.

Word forms

more shag comparative, more shag comparative, shagged past tense, shagged past tense, shags plural, shags plural, shags plural, shags plural, shags plural, shags singular, shags singular, most shag superlative, most shag superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “shag” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old lounge had a brown _____ carpet from the seventies.

Etymology

From Old English sceacga ("hair, wool"), related to "shake" and "shock".

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for shag

hag

See all rhymes for shag →

Frequently asked questions

What does “shag” mean?

The word “shag” means a tangled or shaggy mass of hair or fibres, or a thick, rough carpet pile. In plain terms, rough, shaggy hair or fibre; a type of loose tobacco; a seabird; or, in crude British slang, to have sex.

How do you pronounce “shag”?

“Shag” is pronounced SHAG (/ˈʃæɡ/ in IPA).

How do you use “shag” in a sentence?

Here is “shag” used in a sentence: “The old lounge had a brown shag carpet from the seventies.”

What part of speech is “shag”?

Depending on how it is used, “shag” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “shag” come from?

The word “shag” comes from Old English. From Old English sceacga ("hair, wool"), related to "shake" and "shock".

How many meanings does “shag” have?

“Shag” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a tangled or shaggy mass of hair or fibres, or a thick, rough carpet pile.