maggot
UK[ˈmæɡət]US[ˈmæɡət]
n
The soft-bodied, legless larva of a fly, especially one found in decaying matter.
Etymology
The word 'maggot' has a murky but distinctly Northern European origin. It likely entered Middle English from Old Norse maddikr or the related Old English matha, terms for a worm or grub. These Germanic roots are thought to be derived from a base meaning "to cut" or "to hew," possibly evoking the creature's perceived gnawing action on flesh or decayed material. Over centuries, its application narrowed specifically to the larvae of flies, carrying connotations of decay and putrefaction. The modern spelling stabilized in the late Middle English period, solidifying its association with the soft, wriggling larvae found in rotting organic substances.
Analysis
This word is a simplex. It is a Middle English borrowing, likely from the Old Norse maddikr or the Old English matha, both meaning "maggot" or "worm." The final "-got" is not a separable morpheme in modern English.
Examples
The fisherman used a live maggot as bait.
The rotting fruit was teeming with maggots.
Surgeons in the past sometimes used sterile maggots to clean dead tissue from wounds.