pelage

Definition of pelagenext
as in wool
the hairy covering of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick color variation in the snow leopard's pelage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pelage As temperatures drop and autumn gives way to the seemingly ceaseless snows of winter, some animals in northerly climes exchange their pelage or plumage of summer drab for the purest white. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 However, multiple studies over the past 50 years have highlighted the distinctions between different types of giraffe based on their pelage patterns, cranial and postcranial morphology, genetics, ecology, and behavior. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 Most are taken in spring and fall when their pelage is out of sync with the current weather pattern. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Feb. 2023 Some exhibit a pale gray pelage similar to western coyotes, but others are blond, red, and even black. Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pelage
Noun
  • The brand prioritizes sustainable practices, utilizing regenerated wool from traceable supply chains, including by the Tuscan wool mill Manteco.
    Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
  • He is said to have draped the shrine in striped red wool.
    Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 25 May 2026
Noun
  • Eva, who was very interested in my research on Stein, wondered if Fanny washed her hair in sulphur water, like the poodles, Basket 1 and Basket 2.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • The Vogue cover star leaned her head back and dipped her hair into the water in one image.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • These dogs usually have short or hairless coats, allowing air to circulate throughout their body.
    Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • Also loved seeing her, post-club, smoking a cigarette out the window as the sun came up, draped in one of Deborah’s leopard coats.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pelage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pelage. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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