pelage

[ pel-ij ]

See synonyms for pelage on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

Origin of pelage

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

Other words from pelage

pe·la·gi·al [puh-ley-jee-uhl], /pəˈleɪ dʒi əl/, adjective

Words Nearby pelage

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pelage in a sentence

Individual gorillas were identified by face shape, body shape, and pelage coloration.
How Gorillas Are Outsmarting Ebola | Melissa Leon | September 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Fortunately they are in the same pelage and same stage of molt on the hind legs.
Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico | E. Raymond Hall
The specimen is a poorly made skin in worn winter pelage with the skull inside.
Comments on the Taxonomy and Geographic Distribution of Some North American Rodents | E. Raymond Hall
The immature pelage is grayer and the hair is more crinkled than in adults.
Subspeciation in Pocket Gophers of Kansas, [KU. Vol. 1 No. 11] | Bernardo Villa-R
From the 20th of November to the 20th of December the pelage is at its very finest.
The Extermination of the American Bison | William T. Hornaday

The long tail too is against its resemblance to the hedgehogs, which rests principally on its spiny pelage.
Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon | Robert A. Sterndale

British Dictionary definitions for pelage

pelage

/ (ˈpɛlɪdʒ) /

noun

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

Origin of pelage

C19: via French from Old French pel animal's coat, from Latin pilus hair

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

Browse