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

• bee
• caprice
• crank
• fancy
• freak
• humor
• kink
• megrim
• notion
• vagary
• vagrancy
• whim
• whimsy
• whimsey

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

Fresh fruits and vegetables are also safe from maggots since these do not have a scent that attracts flies, but there are exceptions to this rule where maggots may eat fresh plant matter. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2024

When the eggs hatch, maggots feed on the living tissue of the host which causes severe wounds and potentially life-threatening infections. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

But when his uninvited relatives show up and start adding eyeballs to the mashed potatoes and maggots to the pumpkin pie, there are suddenly too many creeps in the kitchen. —Jennifer Hubert Swan, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Larvae or maggots are also able to develop and feed on the pulp, the agency said. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024

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

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