molt

¹molt

verb \ˈmōlt\

Definition of MOLT

intransitive verb

: 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·er noun

Examples of MOLT

1. Snakes molt as they grow, shedding the old skin and growing a larger new skin.
2. <a crab molts its shell as it grows larger>

Origin of MOLT

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

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MOLT

Synonyms: exfoliate, shed, slip, slough (also sluff)

Related Words: flake, peel, scale; chuck, discard, ditch, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, scrap, shuck (off), throw away, throw out, unload

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Other Insect Terms

drone, entomology, gadfly, pismire, proboscis, vespine

Rhymes with MOLT

bolt, colt, dolt, jolt, poult, smolt, volt