maggot

noun mag·got \ ˈma-gət \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Examples: maggot in a Sentence

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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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

Cheese is vulnerable to mold, rot, and maggots, not to mention pitfalls like excess salt.

— gordon edgar, Smithsonian, "A Brief History of America’s Appetite for Macaroni and Cheese," 30 May 2018
His body is very dead, and a lot of it is sitting inside a maggot's belly.

— refinery29.com, "Westworld Season 2, Episode 6 Recap: "Hello, Old Friend"," 28 May 2018
One possible pest is onion maggots: 1/3-inch-long white, legless larvae that travel in line from one bulb to the next and burrow upwards to feed on the stems.

— the editors of organic life, Good Housekeeping, "How To Grow Onions," 1 Feb. 2018
Swanson Funeral Home in Flint was closed in July after maggots were found on the floor of a garage where unrefrigerated bodies were stored.

— Fox News, "Detroit funeral home's license suspended after violations," 25 Apr. 2018
Bait fishermen are casting spawn sacks, minnows, small lead-head jigs tipped with maggots or waxworms and small plastic lures.

— cleveland.com, "D'Arcy Egan fishing report for May 3: Walleye biting, steelhead hanging around," 3 May 2018
Although there were flies and maggots everywhere, the smell hadn’t been bad enough to bother neighbors or the convenience store directly below.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "CLEANING UP AFTER THE DEAD," 24 Jan. 2018
Bloody clothing and maggots in a suitcase and the pings of a dead man’s cellphone led Boca Raton detectives to accuse a former judge’s heir of murder.

— linda trischitta, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Boca Raton cops follow grisly evidence to son accused of killing ex-judge," 11 Apr. 2018
The dead bird was covered in squirming white maggots.

— michael a. gonzales, The Root, "Roses," 25 Mar. 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.

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! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Insect Terms

drone, entomology, gadfly, pismire, proboscis, vespine

MAGGOT Defined for English Language Learners

maggot

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

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

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