maggot

noun

mag·got | \ ˈma-gət

Definition of maggot

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

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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

Photo: Associated Press Weighed down by too much wool, sheep can suffer heat stress, inability to feed babies, lack of vision and maggot infestation, said Susan Myers, president of the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners. — Sarah Nassauer, WSJ, "Fiber Optics: Wool Lovers Battle Animal-Rights Crowd Over Sheep Shearing," 7 Jan. 2019 Several parents are upset with a Tennessee school’s response to students finding maggots in their cafeteria meals. — Alexandra Deabler, Fox News, "Tennessee parents upset by school's response after students find maggots in cafeteria food," 9 Sep. 2018 New Hampshire residents were disgusted to discover the shoreline of a popular beach was covered with thousands of maggots last week. — Jennifer Earl, Fox News, "New Hampshire beach covered in thousands of 'nasty' maggots," 7 Sep. 2018 Hundreds of locals commented on the post, predicting where the maggots might have come from. — Jennifer Earl, Fox News, "New Hampshire beach covered in thousands of 'nasty' maggots," 7 Sep. 2018 The maggots tunnel in roots, killing plants directly or by creating entryways for disease organisms. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "The 10 Most Destructive Garden Insects and How to Get Rid of Them," 10 July 2018 The health concerns at Madisonville Middle School in Tennessee first came to light when student Madison Smith sent her mother, Brandy Shubert, a video of her granola with a maggot squirming around in it, Yahoo reports. — Alexandra Deabler, Fox News, "Tennessee parents upset by school's response after students find maggots in cafeteria food," 9 Sep. 2018 In one case, a patient’s leg had to be amputated after an infection in his foot went untreated for so long his toes turned black and attracted maggots. — USA TODAY, "Secret VA nursing home ratings hide poor quality care from the public," 17 June 2018 In one case, a patient’s leg had to be amputated after an infection in his foot went untreated for so long his toes turned black and attracted maggots. — USA TODAY, "Secret VA nursing home ratings hide poor quality care from the public," 17 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maggot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

2 Feb 2019

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Time Traveler for maggot

The first known use of maggot was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for maggot

maggot

noun

English Language Learners Definition of maggot

: an insect that looks like a small worm and that is a young form of a fly

See the full definition for maggot in the English Language Learners Dictionary

maggot

noun

mag·got | \ ˈma-gət

Kids Definition of maggot

: a legless grub that is the larva of a fly (as a housefly)

maggot

noun

mag·got | \ ˈmag-ət

Medical Definition of maggot

: 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