molt
verb (used without object)
(of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) to cast or shed the feathers, skin, or the like, that will be replaced by a new growth.
is molting
-
present progressiveof molt (3rd person singular).present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yulia is molting, a multi-day process of shedding her winter coat, he explained, during which time she has been resting on the shore and taken occasional excursions out to sea.
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2023
The Tennessee-based team is on the road nearly every week except in the summer, when Challenger is molting and isn’t looking his best.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2018
During courtship, the female is molting, meaning her top shell softens as she grows a new and larger one, making her more vulnerable to predators.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 12, 2015
He won’t hunt him over the summer months because that’s when the hawk is molting.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 29, 2014
Two of our specimens, both males, are in worn breeding plumage and evidence no molt; another specimen, a female, is also in breeding plumage but is molting on the breast.
From Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, M?xico by Richard F. Johnston
