maggot

play

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

maggoty

play \-gə-tē\ adjective

See maggot defined for English-language learners

See maggot defined for kids

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 of maggot from the Web

Spunik, who was deaf and blind, was in extreme distress, had matted fur and extreme dental decay, was covered in maggots and tied up with a cable tether without shelter, according to the release.

— by jessical deleon, miamiherald, "They couldn’t afford a vet visit. So they they tied up their dog to die, cops say", 29 June 2017
What kind of a sad little maggot would treasure itself?

— heather havrilesky, The Cut, "Ask Polly: Do I Smoke Too Much Pot?", 27 June 2017
Investigators responding to the scene found maggots had infested his bed.

— cory shaffer, cleveland.com, "Euclid woman gets prison time for neglecting bed-ridden husband; children get probation", 8 June 2017
These maggots are especially efficient at converting protein into body mass, making them a good choice for processing waste food.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Got Food Waste? Get Some Maggots", 7 June 2017
Then maggots started coming out of the living room carpet.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Would You Rent from This Man?", 23 May 2017
Then maggots started coming out of the living-room carpet.

— alec macgillis/propublica, New York Times, "Jared Kushner’s Other Real Estate Empire", 23 May 2017
After hatching, the maggots bore throughout the apple, creating irregular, winding tunnels that turn brown, eventually rendering the fruit inedible.

— ciscoe morris, The Seattle Times, "Bag your apples to keep maggots and codling moths away", 10 May 2017
Mathis suggested medical maggots, which eat necrotic flesh.

— soumya karlamangla, latimes.com, "The amputation rate for diabetics in poor areas is high. This Boyle Heights clinic is trying to change that", 1 May 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of maggot

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

NEW!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Insect Terms

drone, entomology, gadfly, pismire, proboscis, vespine

MAGGOT Defined for English Language Learners

maggot

play

noun

Definition of maggot for English Language Learners

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

MAGGOT Defined for Kids

maggot

play

noun mag·got \ˈma-gət\

Definition of maggot for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

maggot

play

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