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.
molts
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pluralof molt.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof molt (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
moltverb (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.
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.
The final step in the metamorphosis, if all goes well: The case splits open, and the winged creature molts, ready to take its first flight in pursuit of prey, leaving the exuviae behind.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 11, 2022
A few days, a few molts, and a few milkweed leaves later, the caterpillar was about a half-inch long and fattening up, following a timetable nearly as reliable as a Swiss watch.
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 20, 2019
Eggs hatch after four days, and the larvae grow over the course of seven to nine molts and five to six weeks, he said.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 2, 2014
Embryonic development is external and proceeds through larval stages separated by molts.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013
Although spawning occurs at sea, the young come into the estuaries and bays when a few weeks old to undergo successive molts and changes of form.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
