moult

/ məʊlt /

verb

1. (of birds, mammals, reptiles, and arthropods) to shed (feathers, hair, skin, or cuticle)

noun

1. the periodic process of moulting See also ecdysis

Other Word Forms

• moulter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of moult¹

C14 mouten, from Old English mūtian, as in bimūtian to exchange for, from Latin mūtāre to change

Example Sentences

Each moult leaves a capsule behind, forming a stack thought to confuse predators.

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Historically, brightly coloured lobsters were thought to be more vulnerable to predators, especially when young or moulting.

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I feel like I moulted out of an old skin and I'm a new woman!

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Lobsters and other crustaceans, for example, keep a supply of ACC in their stomachs, which they use to build a new shell after moulting.

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The compounds identified suggest that the fluid is derived from moulting fluids, which are produced when the larvae shed their outer cuticle as they develop into pupae.

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