Etymology: Middle English, from Old English mæslen, mæstling; akin to Middle Dutch & Middle High German messinc brass
II. noun
(-s)
Etymology: alteration of earlier mesline, from Middle English mastlioun, mestlioun, from Middle French mesteillon, from Old French, from (assumed) Old French mesteil mixed grain (whence Middle French mesteil), from (assumed) Vulgar Latin mixtilium mixture, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin mixtilis mixed, constituting a mixture, from Latin mixtus mixed (past participle of miscēre to mix) + -ilis -ile — more at mix
1. dialect Britain
a. : a mixture of different sorts of grain especially wheat and rye or their flour or meal
b. : bread made with such flour
3. : mashlum
Useful english dictionary. 2012.