meld

1 of 4

verb (1)

melded; melding; melds

transitive verb

: to declare or announce (a card or combination of cards) for a score in a card game especially by placing face up on the table

intransitive verb

: to declare a card or combination of cards as a meld

meld

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a card or combination of cards that is or can be melded in a card game

meld

3 of 4

verb (2)

melded; melding; melds
: merge, blend
Cook the sauce slowly to let the flavors meld.

meld

4 of 4

noun (2)

: blend, mixture
a meld of Christian and Jewish customs

Did you know?

As a verb used when things are blending or being blended together, meld dates only to the first half of the 20th century. In its early days, the word attracted some unfavorable attention. Those who didn't like it tended to perceive it as a misuse of an older meld meaning "to declare or announce (a card or cards) for a score in a card game" (such as pinochle or gin rummy). But the more recent meld, a blend of melt and weld, was an entirely new coinage suggesting a smooth and thorough blending of two or more things into a single, homogeneous whole. The word is no longer controversial.

Examples of meld in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
When the sauce is reduced and the veggies are translucent, add the oysters and cook for a few minutes to meld the flavors. Audrey Bruno, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024 Subtle fruit flavors melded onto an acidic background. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Protein and veggies mingle in a pot as their flavors meld together slowly, intensifying into a flavorful broth that’s perfect to sip by itself. Nick Siano, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 Style and function — the Aritzia Little Puff Vest melds both into one warm, fashionable garment. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 Spry banjo, mandolin and guitar fusions lead this jaunty number, which melds perfectly with Bentley’s own grainy, rock-leaning vocal. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2024 Intricate spices meld into an indistinguishable whole. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Ilaria is a true artist and her pieces meld the worlds of masculine and feminine in the most effortless way. Erika Veurink, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 2 to 3 minutes. Emily Weinstein, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
Noun
Cuts of pork, beef and chicken meld in a stew with plantains, rounds of corn on the cob, winter squash and yautia, a root vegetable sometimes called malanga. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Located an hour drive southeast of the city of Toulouse between the walled city of Carcassonne and the Black Mountains—Montagne Noir—local geography here includes a meld of landscapes from two sides of the country—Mediterranean (rocky scrub) and Atlantic (forests and meadows). Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 The extensive menu is a meld of Italian and Japanese, with an extensive–and spectacular–sushi bar. Rona Berg, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Crunchy guitars, galloping rhythm and a ferocious production meld on this confessional grit-country track written by Sam Martinez, Graham Barham, Zack Dyer and Jon Robert Hall. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2024 Despite the lack of Twitter, the mind meld is still happening. WIRED, 2 Nov. 2023 This meld of theory and practice will position you to adeptly navigate AI’s evolving landscape. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 On her latest, Spanish guitar flourishes, a cinematic Western vibe and Faith’s unique, sultry twang meld to convey this tale of a young woman who falls for a headstrong, restless cowboy. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 31 July 2023 Kaan kaan wu, with its motley of melds, is where these two tiles from different suits can be used in a clean-sweeping hand. Rudy Lee, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meld.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

German melden to announce, from Old High German meldōn; akin to Old English meldian to announce, Lithuanian malda prayer

Noun (1)

derivative of meld entry 1

Verb (2)

blend of melt and weld

Noun (2)

derivative of meld entry 3

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1887, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (1)

1887, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1919, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meld was in 1887

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near meld

Cite this Entry

“Meld.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meld. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

meld

1 of 2 verb
: merge sense 1, blend
the vocals meld perfectly with the instrumental accompaniment

meld

2 of 2 noun
: blend entry 2 sense 1, mixture
a meld of new and old ideas

More from Merriam-Webster on meld

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!