taxidermy

[tak-si-dur-mee]

noun

1. the art of preparing and preserving the skins of animals and of stuffing and mounting them in lifelike form.

taxidermy

/ ˈtæksɪˌdɜːmɪ /

noun

1. the art or process of preparing, stuffing, and mounting animal skins so that they have a lifelike appearance

Other Word Forms

• taxidermist noun
• taxidermal adjective
• taxidermic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of taxidermy¹

1810–20; taxi- + Greek dérm ( a ) skin ( derma ¹ ) + -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of taxidermy¹

C19: from Greek taxis arrangement + -dermy, from Greek derma skin

Example Sentences

Charles Darwin is a household name, but how many people know that the world’s most famous naturalist learned taxidermy from John Edmonstone, a formerly enslaved Black Briton who owned a bird-stuffing shop in Edinburgh, Scotland?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Cameron enters Isaiah’s home to discover his host surrounded by what looks like taxidermy sheep skins.

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An egg-laying mammal with the face and feet of a duck, an otter-shaped body and a beaver-inspired tail, many thought the creature was an elaborate hoax; a taxidermy trick.

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Shirtless, and crowned with what appears to be a wolf’s head taxidermy hat, he issues some sort of challenge while holding what looks like a gold-plated gun — are they toys? — in each hand.

Read more on Salon

"Given the chance, we can really see that independent business can thrive," he added, with "even a taxidermy shop" doing well in the arcade.

Read more on BBC