moult

/ məʊlt /

verb

1. (of birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods) to shed (feathers, hair, skin, or cuticle)

noun

1. the periodic process of moulting See also ecdysis

Other Word Forms

• moulter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of moult¹

C14 mouten, from Old English mūtian, as in bimūtian to exchange for, from Latin mūtāre to change

Example Sentences

Historically, brightly coloured lobsters were thought to be more vulnerable to predators, especially when young or moulting.

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I feel like I moulted out of an old skin and I'm a new woman!

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Lobsters and other crustaceans, for example, keep a supply of ACC in their stomachs, which they use to build a new shell after moulting.

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The compounds identified suggest that the fluid is derived from moulting fluids, which are produced when the larvae shed their outer cuticle as they develop into pupae.

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They also de-bark conifers, allowing native species to flourish, and their moulted fur provides insulating material for nesting birds.

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