molt

1 of 2

verb

ˈmōlt 

molted; molting; molts

intransitive verb

: to shed hair, feathers, shell, horns, or an outer layer periodically

Birds molt once or twice a year.

transitive verb

: to cast off (an outer covering) periodically

specifically : to throw off (the old cuticle (see cuticle sense 1))

—used of arthropods

a spider, like a lobster, molts its covering as it grows

—Eugene Kinkead

molter noun

molt

2 of 2

noun

: the act or process of molting

specifically : ecdysis

Synonyms

Verb

• exfoliate
• shed
• slip
• slough
• sluff

Examples of molt in a Sentence

Verb

Snakes molt as they grow, shedding the old skin and growing a larger new skin.

a crab molts its shell as it grows larger

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

As the year closes, Pesto is beginning his awkward teen years and molting his endearing fluff in favor of adult feathers meant for swimming. —Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024

So, my 18-day stint in March was at the tail end of the season (the best time to see penguin chicks is the middle of the Antarctic tourism season, late January through February) and filled with whales, molting penguins soon to migrate north, flocks of birds, and ample seals. —Dalton Johnson, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024

Noun

Late June until late September is typically when lobsters molt, or shed their old shells and grow into new, softer, and larger shells, says Luke Holden, co-founder and CEO of Luke’s Lobster in South Portland, Maine. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2024

Since adult turkeys molt twice a year, having a flock in a human community could help make sure there was a good supply. —Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of Middle English mouten, from Old English -mūtian to change, from Latin mutare — more at mutable

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1815, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing molt

• pre-molt

Kids Definition

molt

1 of 2 verb

ˈmōlt 

: to shed hair, feathers, outer skin, shell, or horns with the cast-off parts being replaced by a new growth

molt

2 of 2 noun

: the act, process, or period of molting

Medical Definition

molt

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈmōlt 

variants or chiefly British moult

: to shed hair, feathers, shell, horns, or an outer layer periodically

transitive verb

: to cast off (an outer covering) periodically

specifically : to throw off (the old cuticle)

—used of arthropods

molt

2 of 2 noun

variants or chiefly British moult

: the act or process of molting

specifically : ecdysis