malt

1 of 2

noun

ˈmȯlt 

1

: grain (such as barley) softened by steeping in water, allowed to germinate, and used especially in brewing and distilling

2

: malt liquor

3

: malted milk

malty

ˈmȯl-tē 

adjective

malt

2 of 2

verb

malted; malting; malts

transitive verb

1

: to convert into malt

2

: to make or treat with malt or malt extract

intransitive verb

1

: to become malt

2

: to make grain into malt

Examples of malt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Nestled in New York’s Hudson Valley and helmed by a husband-and-wife duo, Hillrock grows its grain on 100 acres of estate farmland, then floor-malts, distills, and bottles everything on-site. —Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 30 Dec. 2025

Beer gets a break because the state treats it as a malt, meaning it's not technically considered alcohol. —Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Dec. 2025

Verb

This whisky is made from barley grown on farmland surrounding the distillery, and every step from malting to bottling is done onsite (other expressions, however, are made from barley purchased from malting houses). —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2026

Long before a refreshing mint julep can hit your lips, grain must be malted, milled, mashed, and fermented, the resulting wash then distilled to concentrate the alcohol. —Samuel Cochran, Architectural Digest, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English mealt; akin to Old High German malz malt, Old English meltan to melt

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing malt

• malt liquor
• malt sugar
• malt whiskey
• single malt

Rhymes for malt

• alt
• fault
• gault
• halt
• sault
• vault
• walt
• asphalt
• assault
• basalt
• cobalt
• default

Kids Definition

malt

1 of 2 noun

ˈmȯlt 

1

: grain and especially barley steeped in water and used chiefly in brewing and distilling

2

: malted milk sense 2

malt adjective

malt

2 of 2 verb

1

: to convert into malt

2

: to make or treat with malt or malt extract

Medical Definition

malt

1 of 2 noun

ˈmȯlt 

: grain softened by steeping in water, allowed to germinate, and used especially in brewing and distilling

MALT

2 of 2 abbreviation

mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue