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 • Mar. 30, 2026

Founded in 1933 as E. & J. Gallo Winery, the company in 2024 renamed itself to reflect its portfolio, which by then had grown beyond wine to include distilled spirits, malt beverages and ready-to-drink cocktails.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

“I think it will be good for us,” Hoak said, while hauling 55-pound bags of malt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Mr Littlejohn said that allowing the English industry to use the term for its alcohol "would really damage the integrity of the single malt category and with it, the reputation of the Scotch whisky industry."

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2025

Billy Pilgrim had a boiling case of heartburn, since he had been spooning malt syrup all day long at work.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Related Words

• brew
• suds