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
1
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 notesIn plain EnglishA fly larva, commonly seen in rotting food or used as fishing bait.
Common pairings
a tub of maggots
crawling with maggots
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- maggots
- Past tense
- maggoted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.
Synonyms
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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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