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Definition of "molt" [molt]

  • To shed periodically part or all of a coat or an outer covering, such as feathers, cuticle, or skin, which is then replaced by a new growth. (verb-intransitive)
  • To shed or cast off (a bodily covering). (verb-transitive)
  • The act or process of molting. (noun)
  • The material cast off during molting. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "molt" in a sentence
  • "The period between each molt is known as an instar."
  • "Often it involves differences in color, which can be fairly obvious, but it can also involve evaluating feather wear or stages of feather molt, which is a bit harder. ""
  • "For a few seconds I wondered if it had been a molt."