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 of maggot

• 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

Most flies start as larvae or maggots that feed on dead carcasses. —Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 18 June 2026

While small, low-quality studies have indicated that maggot therapy is safe and effective at wound debridement, robust trials and evidence are lacking. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026

The pain from this infestation is severe enough that human patients are given morphine before doctors can remove the maggots, Kevin Esvelt, a biologist at the MIT Media Lab, said. —Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026

The telltale signs of a screwworm infection are the growing wounds or lesions and the presence of feeding maggots on still-alive animals. —Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 15 June 2026

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