n. & v.
n. 1 barley or other grain that is steeped, germinated, and dried, esp. for brewing or distilling and vinegar-making. 2 colloq. malt whisky; malt liquor.
v. 1 tr. convert (grain) into malt. 2 intr. (of seeds) become malt when germination is checked by drought. malted milk 1 a hot drink made from dried milk and a malt preparation. 2 the powdered mixture from which this is made. malt-house a building used for preparing and storing malt. malt liquor alcoholic liquor made from malt by fermentation, not distillation, e.g. beer, stout. malt whisky whisky made from malted barley.
[ OE m(e)alt f. Gmc, rel. to MELT ]