Molt
/moʊlt/noun
To shed or lose an outer layer, especially feathers, skin, or exoskeleton.
Did you know?In ancient alchemical texts, molting was often seen as a metaphor for spiritual rebirth and transformation, marking the shedding of the old to allow for new growth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meldh-
“to soften or to dissolve.”
Old English
Old English
meltan
“to melt or dissolve.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
melta
“to melt or to crumble.”
Middle English
Middle English
molt
“to shed or fall off, especially in reference to feathers.”
Modern English
English
molt
“the process of shedding outer layers in animals.”