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 of molt

Verb

• shed

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

Pinky’s fame grew even as the bird bent, molted and faded with each turn of the calendar. — Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Look for red or rust-colored stains or exoskeletons left behind after molting, and be on the lookout for sweet, musty odors on or around beds. — Dan Simms, USA Today, 19 May 2026

Noun

During this time, the adults molt and don’t fly. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025

The local carcasses may simply be a run-of-the-mill lobster molt. — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for molt

• bolt
• boult
• colt
• jolt
• moult
• poult
• smolt
• volt
• volte
• kilovolt
• millivolt
• landolt

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