malt
UK[mɔːlt]US[mɔːlt]
n
Grain, usually barley, that has been soaked in water and then dried in a hot oven. This process allows it to develop the sugars needed for making beer, whisky, and some foods.
v
To make grain into malt.
Etymology
The word 'malt' descends directly from the Old English 'mealt', which referred to the product itself. This Old English term is related to the verb 'meltan', meaning 'to melt', a connection that reveals the process at the heart of malting. The conceptual link is that during malting, the grain's starches are softened and converted, a transformation metaphorically akin to melting. This word family has cognates across Germanic languages, such as Old Norse 'malt' and German 'Malz', all pointing to a common Proto-Germanic root 'malt-', which is itself likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root 'meld-', meaning 'soft' or 'to crush', further emphasizing the physical alteration of the grain.
Analysis
The word 'malt' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a complete lexical unit and cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
The flavour of the whisky is heavily influenced by the type of malt used.
The brewery malts its own barley to ensure quality and consistency.
Malt vinegar is a common condiment, especially with fish and chips.