- (of birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods) to shed (feathers, hair, skin, or cuticle)
- the periodic process of moulting
See also ecdysis
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
moult
(mōlt),USA pronunciation v.i., v.t., n. [Brit.]
- British Termsmolt.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
moult, US molt /məʊlt/ vb
molt /moʊlt/USA pronunciation
v.
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Zoology(of an animal) to cast off or shed skin, etc., in the process of growth: [no object]The bird had molted and was growing new feathers.[~ + object]The bird had molted its feathers.
n. [uncountable]
- an act or instance of molting.
- something dropped in molting.
molt
(mōlt),USA pronunciation v.i.
v.t.
n.
molt′er, n.
- (of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) to cast or shed the feathers, skin, or the like, that will be replaced by a new growth.
v.t.
- to cast or shed (feathers, skin, etc.) in the process of renewal.
n.
- an act, process, or an instance of molting.
- something that is dropped in molting.
- Latin mūtāre to change; see mutate
- 1300–50; earlier mout (with intrusive -l-; compare fault, assault), Middle English mouten, Old English -mūtian to change (in bi-mūtian to exchange for)
'moult' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):