malt

American  

[mawlt] / mɔlt /

noun

1. germinated grain, usually barley, used in brewing and distilling.

2. any alcoholic beverage, as beer, ale, or malt liquor, fermented from malt.

3. whisky, as Scotch, that is distilled entirely from malted barley.

4. malted milk.

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verb (used with object)

1. to convert (grain) into malt by soaking it in water and allowing it to germinate.

2. to treat or mix with malt, malt extract, etc.

3. to make (liquor) with malt.

verb (used without object)

1. to become malt.

2. to produce malt from grain.

malt British  

/ mɔːlt /

noun

1. cereal grain, such as barley, that is kiln-dried after it has germinated by soaking in water

2. See malt liquor

3. short for malt whisky

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verb

1. to make into or become malt

2. to make (something, esp liquor) with malt

Etymology

Origin of malt

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English mealt; cognate with Old Norse malt, German Malz; akin to melt ¹

Example Sentences

Born in 1932 in South Africa to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants who ran a malt business, Kirsh ventured into grain milling and then distribution, according to news reports.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pike perch tartare from Lake Oulujärvi rests on malt bread with capers and dill oil and a whisper of pine tar.

From Salon

Watt says they would sleep only a few hours a night, often on sacks of malt on the brewery floor, and told of the financial hardship they faced.

From BBC

When offered a “terrific Japanese malt,” he silently observes: “I hate whisky. Meths for people with money.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In the 1970s, actor Billy Dee Williams was the iconic face of Colt 45 malt liquor.

From Salon

Related Words

• brew
• suds