MOLTING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does molting mean? 

• MOLTING (noun)
  The noun MOLTING has 1 sense:

1. periodic shedding of the cuticle in arthropods or the outer skin in reptiles

  Familiarity information: MOLTING used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOLTING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Periodic shedding of the cuticle in arthropods or the outer skin in reptiles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

ecdysis; molt; molting; moult; moulting

Hypernyms ("molting" is a kind of...):

shedding; sloughing (the process whereby something is shed)

Derivation:

molt (cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers)

 Context examples 

The fate of the penguins is largely tied to the fate of sea ice, which the animals use as a home base for breeding, feeding and molting.

(Unless warming is slowed, emperor penguins will march toward extinction, National Science Foundation)