Plural of fagin; people who exploit children or train them for criminal purposes, referencing the character Fagin from Dickens' Oliver Twist.
From Fagin, the fictional character created by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist (1838). The name became a common noun meaning an adult who exploits or corrupts children. While the character's name origin is debated, it may derive from Yiddish or represent Dickens' invention.
Dickens created such a memorable villain that his name became a real English word used in journalism and law enforcement—few fictional characters achieve that kind of linguistic immortality.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.