Maggot-Pie
/ˈmæɡət paɪ/noun
An obsolete or dialectal name for the magpie, a black-and-white Eurasian bird.
Did you know?The “maggot” in this bird-name was not a worm: it likely came from Magot, a medieval pet form of Margaret, while “pie” referred to the magpie itself.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μαργαρίτης (margarítēs)
“Pearl; the source of the personal name Margaret”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Margareta
“Margaret, a personal name ultimately associated with the pearl”
Middle English
English
Magot
“A familiar or diminutive form of Margaret”
Middle English
English
pie
“The magpie, from Latin pica, the bird’s name”
15th–16th Century
English
magot-pie
“A compound name for the magpie, literally combining Magot with pie”
Modern English
English
magpie
“The standard modern form, with the older compound compressed and reshaped”