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Glite Dictionary
🪶 To shed feathers 🪶 Shedding feathers
to molt

to molt

8 6.1
To shed old feathers, skin, hair, or shell so new ones can grow
  • verb
  • /moʊlt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mudar
  • Best to clip their wings after they molt, usually in the early summer.
  • newly molted
  • molted lobsters
  • molted nymphs

Now during this process, this is usually when most species will molt, lose their legs and become immobile and they would just keep on feeding for months.

Examples

  • All species molt to their thicker winter coats; even chickadees add more feathers.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Each time the lobster molts, a layer of cuticle is formed.

    Academic text (1999)

  • During this season, the seals tend to molt together with very little conflict between each other.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Sure, they have to molt to grow, but that doesn't seem to pose a problem.

  • In June, when the elephant seals return, they have already begun to molt.

    Academic text (2009)

  • A newly molted mantis will be milky white, often mistaken for an albino.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Homar is molting and can't go out, and Eckart's got a problem with the pollen.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Every year, birds molt their feathers to prepare for the changing seasons.

  • The snake molted its skin in the warm sun, revealing a fresh new layer underneath.

  • As summer ended, the rabbits molted their light coats for thicker fur.

Synonyms

to shed
vsto molt
68 3.5

To lose hair, skin or feathers naturally as they grow

is specifically about replacing old coverings to allow new growth
to sluff
vsto molt
  • Specialized
9.9

To shed an old outer layer of skin or feathers when an animal grows

is about discarding old coverings to make space for fresh growth
to exuviate
vsto molt
  • Specialized
9.9

To shed old skin, feathers, or hair when an animal grows

is the everyday term focused on replacing old coverings with new ones

Antonyms

to retain
60 3.0

To hold something inside so it does not escape

How Complete

to molt
  • Specialized
8 6.1
to shed
68 3.5

Surface Forms

molt infinitive
molt past
molt past participle
molting present participle
molts third person singular

Etymology

The verb molt comes from the same old idea of 'casting off', and it means to 'shed' old feathers, hair, skin, or shell so new ones can grow.