Etymology: Probably an alteration of maddock n., either by metathesis, or influenced by Magot , Maggot , obsolete pet form of the female forenames Margery (see margery n.¹) and Margaret (see Margaret n.); compare maggot n.², and for a similar application of a personal name perhaps compare British regional dick , dicky louse: see Eng. Dial. Dict. s.vv. If maggot does arise by metathesis, the intervocalic /ɡ/ can perhaps be compared with that of flagon or sugar , although maggot could simply show retention of the existing voiced/voiceless contrast with metathetic interchange of point of articulation. Compare the 15th-cent. form maked , which could have arisen independently by metathesis from maddock n., or could alternatively show a similar interchange of the voiced/voiceless contrast in the present word (for devoicing of the medial consonant compare modern Somerset macket for maggot n.²).An alternative theory derives the word < Welsh mwcai glow-worm (1758), macai maggot, grub (1803), but this seems unlikely on grounds of date, and the fact that undisputed medieval borrowings from Welsh are very few in number, and tend to be connected with material borrowings from Welsh culture (see bragget n. and crowd n.¹ for examples), or with Welsh administration (e.g. ragler n.).

Etymology: < Magot, Maggot, obsolete pet form of the female forenames Margery (see margery n.¹) and Margaret (see Margaret n.) < Old French Margot , pet form of the name Margueri , Marguerite (see Margaret n.; compare -ot suffix). Compare maggoty-pie n.Compare Middle French, French margot magpie (a1350); French regional margot is also used of other animals, chiefly the horse and the cow (especially when piebald).