Moult (Verb)
Meaning
Cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers; "our dog sheds every Spring".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- As the weather warmed up, the family cat began to moult its thick winter coat.
- During the annual spring moult, the trees around the lake lost their leaves and shed their dead bark.
- Every autumn, North American deer moult their antlers to grow new ones.
- As her dog aged, it moulted more frequently due to its sensitive skin.
- In preparing for migration, some bird species will moult entirely, shedding their old feathers to be replaced with lighter ones.