molt
(of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) to cast or shed the feathers, skin, or the like, that will be replaced by a new growth.
to cast or shed (feathers, skin, etc.) in the process of renewal.
an act, process, or an instance of molting.
something that is dropped in molting.
Origin of molt
1- Also especially British, moult .
Other words from molt
- molter, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use molt in a sentence
Sort of molts, I guess, said Cleo, for those branches are covered with green pin feathers.
The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong | Lillian GarisDuring the first year the lobster molts from 14 to 17 times.
The Lobster Fishery of Maine. | John N. CobbIn July, after nesting, the male molts into a plumage resembling that of the female, when both are known as Reedbird.
What Bird is That? | Frank M. ChapmanIn most skins, molts are easily detected because distinct molt-lines were formed.
Geographic Distribution and Taxonomy of the Chipmunks of Wyoming | John A. WhiteAs a rule, the female lays her eggs in July, carries them until the following summer, when they hatch; then she molts.
The Lobster Fishery of Maine. | John N. Cobb
British Dictionary definitions for molt
/ (məʊlt) /
the usual US spelling of moult
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for molt
[ mōlt ]
To shed an outer covering, such as skin or feathers, for replacement by a new growth. Many snakes, birds, and arthropods molt.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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