maggot

noun

mag·​got ˈma-gət 

1

: a soft-bodied legless grub that is the larva of a dipterous insect (such as the housefly)

2

: a fantastic or eccentric idea : whim

maggoty

ˈma-gə-tē 

adjective

Synonyms

• whim
• bee

Examples of maggot in a Sentence

The rotten meat was infested with maggots.

the last maggot he got in his head resulted in a disastrous extramarital affair

Recent Examples on the Web

There were 16 live maggots on the floor of the kitchen. —Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025

In one visceral scene of complex dignity, Mother removes maggots from a living man’s rotting flesh. —Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025

After the eggs hatch, the maggots burrow further into the tissue and cause painful infestations. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2025

When the eggs hatch, maggots emerge, which then feast on healthy tissue, according to the CDC. —Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English magot, probably alteration of mathek, maddok; akin to Middle Low German mēdeke maggot, Old Norse mathkr, Old English matha

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing maggot

• apple maggot

Rhymes for maggot

• agate
• fagot

Kids Definition

maggot

noun

mag·​got ˈmag-ət 

: a soft-bodied legless larva of a two-winged fly (as the housefly)

Medical Definition

maggot

noun

mag·​got ˈmag-ət 

: a soft-bodied legless grub that is the larva of a dipteran fly (as the housefly) and develops usually in decaying organic matter or as a parasite in plants or animals