Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

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

Derived 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.

Stick insects moult several times and when Charlie shed its skin, everyone began to notice the unusual creature.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2022

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

Heeled boots, studded with glitter, have begun to moult in the autumn damp; wherever Adele settles around the room she leaves behind traces of sparkle.

From The Guardian • Nov. 15, 2015

As we emerged from the school with Maureen, we began to moult immediately.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "moult" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com