molt

(mōlt)

v., molt·ed, molt·ing, molts.

v.intr.
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.

v.tr.
To shed or cast off (a bodily covering).

n.

1. The act or process of molting.
2. The material cast off during molting.

[Alteration of Middle English mouten, from Old English -mūtian (in bemūtian, to exchange for), from Latin mūtāre, to change.]

molter molt'er n.

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verb

To cast off by a natural process: exuviate, shed, slough², throw off. See put on/take off.

The physiological shedding of the integument, usually annual, and at the beginning of the breeding season, including the shedding of the skin by reptiles, of hair by many species, and of feathers by birds; the phenomenon is gradual, has severe metabolic overtones and leaves the bird flightless and off lay for several weeks. It is assumed to be related to hormonal changes related to changes in the length of daylight hours.

For a list of words related to molting, see:

• Environment, Ecology, and Animal Behavior - molting: regular shedding of all or part of outer layer of skin, esp. in snakes and crabs; shedding of feathers in birds

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See words rhyming with "molt."

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - skifte ham/hud/skjold/fjer
v. intr. - fælde
n. - hamskifte, hudskifte, skjoldskifte, fjerskifte, fældning

Nederlands (Dutch)
in de rui zijn, rui

Français (French)
v. tr. - perdre ses poils
v. intr. - perdre ses poils, muer
n. - mue (pour un animal)

Deutsch (German)
v. - abwerfen, sich häuten, sich mausern
n. - Mauser, Häutung

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - πτερορροώ, τριχορροώ, ξεπουπουλιάζομαι, μαδάω
n. - πτιλόρροια, πτερόρροια, τριχόρροια, μάδημα, ξεπουπούλιασμα

Italiano (Italian)
mudare (di uccelli), muda

Português (Portuguese)
v. - perder penas, pele ou pelos
n. - mudança de penas ou pelos nos animais (f)

Русский (Russian)
линька, линять (о птицах)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - mudar la piel o las plumas
v. intr. - mudar la piel o las plumas, hacer la muda de piel o plumas
n. - muda, plumas o piel que desprenden los animales

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - rugga, fälla hår, ömsa skal (skinn)
n. - ruggning, hårfällning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
蜕脱..., 换羽, 去除..., 脱毛, 蜕皮, 脱落物, 换毛

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 蛻脫..., 換羽, 去除...
v. intr. - 脫毛, 蛻皮, 換羽, 脫落物
n. - 換毛, 脫毛

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 벗다
v. intr. - 탈피하다
n. - 털갈이, 털 갈이의 시기, 빠진 털

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 脱ぐ, 脱皮する, 抜け毛, 抜け殻

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يبدل, يسلخ (الاسم) تبديل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮השיר (נוצות, שיער, עור)‬
v. intr. - ‮נשרו (נוצות, שיער, עור)‬
n. - ‮עונת נשירת נוצות/שיער/עור‬

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