What does maggoty mean?
Maggoty is an adjective describing something that contains or has been infested by maggots, especially spoiled food, decaying flesh, or an infected wound. It is more forceful than words such as “larval” and often carries an unpleasant or censorious tone because it evokes infestation and decay. In medical and veterinary contexts, however, it can simply identify a condition accurately: a wound may be described as maggoty when live maggots are present. A secondary sense describes something whose appearance resembles a maggot, especially a soft, elongated or writhing form. The word is related to “maggot” and uses the suffix “-y,” giving it the sense “full of” or “characterized by.” While uncommon in formal prose, it remains useful for vivid descriptions of spoiled food, infestation, and certain forms of wound infection.
adjectiveContaining, infested with, or spoiled by maggots. It may also describe something resembling a maggot in appearance.
- Containing or infested with maggots.
- Resembling a maggot in shape or appearance.
"The vet found a maggoty wound on the sheep's leg."
"The fruit was maggoty and had to be discarded."
"A thin, maggoty larva had developed in the wound."
A maggoty wound has progressed far beyond the original injury: it has become an ecosystem.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does maggoty come from?
The adjective maggoty was formed from “maggot” with the suffix “-y,” meaning “full of” or “characterized by.” The noun “maggot” appears in Middle English, although its ultimate origin is uncertain.
How maggoty is actually used
The word is sometimes encountered in medical or veterinary descriptions and, especially in British English, in strong disapproval of spoiled food. It is more descriptive than euphemistic and can sound deliberately graphic.