1. The edible whole or coarsely ground grains of a cereal grass.
2. A granular substance produced by grinding.

[Middle English mele, from Old English melu.]

1. The food served and eaten in one sitting.
2. A customary time or occasion of eating food.

[Middle English mele, from Old English mǣl.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.