▪ I. muscat
(ˈmʌskæt)
Forms: 6 Sc. musticat, 7 muscatt, (8 muscate, 9 muschat), 7– muscat.
[a. F. muscat adj. (also ellipt. as n.), a. Pr. muscat adj. = It. moscato having the flavour of musk:—late L. *muscātus, f. musc-us musk n.]
1. In full muscat wine. = muscatel 1.
| a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 337 All kynd of drink, as aill, mallvesie, musticat [etc.]. a 1747 Holdsworth Rem. Virg. (1768) 119 This is practised about Trani in Apulia, where they make excellent Muscat. 1756 Nugent Gr. Tour, France IV. 253 The little town of Frontignan, famous for its muscate wine. 1816 Accum Chem. Tests (1818) 190 Various wines and spirituous liquors—Cape muschat. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 610/1 Of these [Neopolitan wines] the best known are Lacryma Christi.., several descriptions of good class Muscat wine [etc.]. |
2. In full muscat grape. A variety of grape; also the vine producing it. = muscadine1 2.
| 1655 Com. Hist. Francion xi. 3 He said..that the Muscats he did eat were so great, that only one grain of them was enough to make all England to be perpetually drunk. 1682 S. Wilson Carolina 17 The Lords Proprietors have taken care to send plants of the Rhenish,..Muscatt, Madera, and Spanish grapes. 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. 229 Muscats, are a kind of Grapes..; there are three sorts of them viz. white, red, and black. 1855 C. M'Intosh Bk. Garden II. 620/2 Muscats..in no way differ as to pruning from other vines. 1882 Garden 4 Feb. 87/3 To insure the perfect keeping of Muscats..they should be quite ripe by the end of August. |
† 3. A kind of peach; also, a kind of pear. Obs.
| 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort., July 20 Peaches..Newington, Violet-muscat, Rambouillet. 1675 C. Cotton Planters Manual 50 The Rousselet, and the little Muscat of the Summer-Pears. 1707 Mortimer Husb., Kal. July, [Peaches.] Muscat. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. iii. 400 Pears..Green Sugar,..Verte longue, Long-stalked Muscat,..and others. |
4. A fungus, Agaricus albellus.
| 1887 Hay Brit. Fungi 86 Agaricus albellus; Tricholoma albella; The Muscat. |
5. attrib. and Comb., as muscat flavour; muscat-flavoured adj.; muscat-house, a hot-house for the cultivation of the muscat grape; muscat rose [F. rose muscate], the musk rose. Also muscat grape, muscat wine (see above).
| 1707 Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 146 When the Flowers begin to appear on the white Muscat Rose-Bushes. 1860 Hogg Fruit Man. 110 [Grapes.] Muscat of Alexandria... Flesh..with a fine Muscat flavour. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 610/2 The Hungarian vineyards..produce Muscat-flavoured wines. 1855 C. M'Intosh Bk. Garden II. 620/2 Many err in keeping their Muscat-house at too high a temperature. |
▪ II. muscat
variant of musk-cat.
▪ III. muscat, -eer
obs. forms of musket, -eer.