noun C2 Proficient

maggot

MA-guht

Maggot (noun) means the soft, legless larva of a fly, often found in decaying matter. Example: “Anglers keep a tub of maggots as fishing bait.”

noun

The soft, legless larva of a fly, often found in decaying matter.

"Anglers keep a tub of maggots as fishing bait."

"The rubbish had been left out so long that maggots had gotten into it."

How to use maggot

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA fly larva, commonly seen in rotting food or used as fishing bait.

Common pairings

a tub of maggots crawling with maggots

Word forms

maggoted past tense, maggots singular

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Anglers keep a tub of _____ as fishing bait.

Etymology

From Middle English magot, probably an altered form of an Old English word related to insect larvae; the old folk belief that whimsical or eccentric people had "maggots in the brain" gave rise to a now-obsolete figurative sense.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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grub larva

Related words

made food weed eats worm chow grub larva

Frequently asked questions

What does “maggot” mean?

The word “maggot” means the soft, legless larva of a fly, often found in decaying matter. In plain terms, a fly larva, commonly seen in rotting food or used as fishing bait.

How do you pronounce “maggot”?

“Maggot” is pronounced MA-guht (/ˈmæɡət/ in IPA).

How do you use “maggot” in a sentence?

Here is “maggot” used in a sentence: “Anglers keep a tub of maggots as fishing bait.”

What part of speech is “maggot”?

“Maggot” is a noun.

Where does the word “maggot” come from?

The word “maggot” comes from Old English.

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