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Showing results for "moult"
  • a variation of molt.

moult

British  
/ məʊlt /

verb

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

"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

noun

  1. the periodic process of moulting See also ecdysis

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of moult

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

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.

See Examples For:

Neil the beloved elephant seal has once again returned to Seven Mile Beach, Tasmania, for his annual moult, keeping locals on their toes with his cheeky and sometimes destructive antics.

From Salon Jul. 7, 2026

They migrate thousands of kilometres to find stable sea ice during Antarctic summer to wait out what is called a "catastrophic moult" every year.

From BBC Feb. 25, 2026

Sea ice is also important for resting, during their annual moult and to escape from predators.

From Salon Aug. 8, 2021

Thus, it makes sense that we moult depending on the temperature: hold onto our hair more tightly during the winter months and lose it in the summer.

From Washington Times Jan. 20, 2016

The jerfalcon which had been given to Lancelot was not property through her moult Like Hamlet she was fat and scant of breath.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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