Definition

1. Noun:
   • The larva of a fly: A "maggot" is the soft-bodied, legless, worm-like larval stage of various flies, especially the housefly or blowfly.
   • An organism in decaying matter: It is commonly found in and feeds on decaying organic material, such as rotting food or carrion.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The fisherman used a maggot as bait.
  • The rotting fruit was infested with maggots.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative use for a whimsical idea: In informal or archaic usage, "maggot" can refer to a strange or whimsical idea.
  • He's got some maggot in his head about sailing around the world alone. (This usage is less common in modern English.)

Variants and Related Words

• Maggoty (adj): Infested with or resembling maggots.
  • The meat was maggoty and inedible.

Synonyms

• Grub: A larva of an insect, especially a beetle.
• Larva: The immature, wingless, and often wormlike feeding form of insects.

Idioms and Phrases

• To have a maggot in one's brain/head: To have a strange or foolish idea. (This idiom reflects the archaic figurative usage.)
  • He must have a maggot in his head to think that plan will work.

Noun

1. the larva of the housefly and blowfly commonly found in decaying organic matter