maggot

noun

mag·​got ˈma-gət How to pronounce maggot (audio)
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 adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In news that seems straight out of a sci-fi movie, flesh-eating maggots are set to hatch in the lower U.S. soon. Moná Thomas, People.com, 10 July 2025 The federal government is planning to breed millions of flies and dump them over Mexico and Texas via airplanes in an effort to combat a flesh-eating maggot. Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2025 Unlike most maggots that tend to feed off of dead flesh, the screwworm larvae feed off the fresh flesh of the host and can cause serious and often deadly damage to the host. Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 13 May 2025 The name refers to the way in which maggots screw themselves into the tissue of animals with their sharp mouth hooks, causing extensive damage and often leading to death. Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for maggot

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of maggot was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maggot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maggot. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

maggot

noun
mag·​got ˈmag-ət How to pronounce maggot (audio)
: a soft-bodied legless larva of a two-winged fly (as the housefly)

Medical Definition

maggot

noun
mag·​got ˈmag-ət How to pronounce maggot (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on maggot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!