maggot

noun

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

Synonyms of maggot

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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.
Role Model covered ‘maggots for brains,’ and Sienna Spiro covered my song ‘less’ the other day. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026 Telltale signs of a screwworm infection include growing wounds or lesions and feeding maggots on living animals. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 The screwworm gets its name from the maggots’ habit of burrowing — or screwing — into a wound, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. — Fabiola Sánchez, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 Unlike most of the maggots, these ones develop in living flesh. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 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

Phrases Containing maggot

Rhymes for maggot

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Browse Nearby Words

Maggiore, Lake
maggot
maggot-pated
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Cite this Entry

“Maggot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maggot. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about maggot

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