moult
/muːlt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
When an animal or bird loses old feathers, skin, or hair and grows new ones. People usually say 'shed' for mammals, and 'moult' for birds or some animals.
- The bird will moult its old feathers in summer.
- Snakes moult several times as they grow.
- The dog is moulting more in hot weather.
noun
The process or period when an animal loses old feathers, skin, or hair and replaces them.
- The chicken is in moult now.
- Autumn is moulting season for many birds.
- Its moult lasts about two weeks.
Adinary Nuance
Moult is more specific than shed. Use moult mainly for birds, reptiles, and some animals that naturally replace feathers, skin, or hair. In everyday speech, people often say shed for hair, skin, or pet fur, especially in American English. Moult sounds a little more formal and is more common in British English.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- rụng lông
- Spanish
- mudar
- Chinese
- 蜕皮
- Japanese
- 脱皮する
- Korean
- 털갈이하다
Etymology
Moult comes from Middle English, from Old French muer, meaning 'to change'. It is related to the idea of changing skin or feathers.
Common phrases
moult feathersmoult seasonin moultmoult its skin
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is moult the same as shed?
- They are close, but not always the same. Moult is used more for birds and reptiles; shed is more general.
- Is moult common in American English?
- It is understood, but it is less common than in British English. Americans often say shed instead.
- Can I use moult for hair?
- Yes, but mostly for animals. For people, shed is more natural in everyday English.