Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MUS'CA-DEL, or MUS'CA-DINE, a. [or MUS-CAT', or MUS'CAT-EL; It. moscatello; Port. and Sp. moscatel; Fr. muscat, muscadin, muscadet; from It. moscado, musk, or muscata, (noce moscada,) a nutmeg, Fr. muscade, from musc. Hence, in Italian, vin muscato, muscat, or muscadine wine.]

1. An appellation given to a kind of rich wine, and to the grapes which produce it. The word is also used as a noun.
2. A sweet pear.