/mawlt/ , n.
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. See malted milk (def. 2).
v.t.
5. to convert (grain) into malt by soaking it in water and allowing it to germinate.
6. to treat or mix with malt, malt extract, etc.
7. to make (liquor) with malt.
v.i.
8. to become malt.
9. to produce malt from grain.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE mealt; c. ON malt, G Malz; akin to MELT ]