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Synonyms

pelage

American  
[pel-ij] / ˈpɛl ɪdʒ /

noun

  1. the hair, fur, wool, or other soft covering of a mammal.


pelage British  
/ ˈpɛlɪdʒ /

noun

  1. the coat of a mammal, consisting of hair, wool, fur, etc

"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

  • pelagial adjective

Etymology

Origin of pelage

1820–30; < French, derivative of poil ( Old French peil, pel; poilu ); -age

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.

Researcher Hannah Walker from the University of Montana documented the distribution of these different pelage colours across their range in North America using museum specimens.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2023

His estimated birth year was determined by the condition of his pelage, or fur, and teeth.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2022

Moratelli selects a small, compact individual with dark wings and a luxurious golden pelage.

From Nature • Feb. 17, 2015

Their pinnae are strongly reduced: essentially just being a slim semicircle of tissue concealed by pelage.

From Scientific American • Jan. 13, 2014

In addition the red of the hair is masked more by neutral gray than by black with the result that the pelage is grayish rather than brownish or reddish.

From Speciation of the Wandering Shrew by Findley, James S.