moult

IPA/məʊlt/
IPA/məʊlt/

moult — verb

  • moultpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • moultshe / she / it
  • moultedpast simple
  • moulting-ing form

1. When an animal such as a bird or snake naturally casts off its outer layer — fea

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

When an animal such as a bird or snake naturally casts off its outer layer — feathers, fur, or old skin — so that new growth can replace it.

例句

Aylin's pet parrot moulted bright green feathers all over the living-room floor last spring.

transitive: moult + [feathers/fur/skin/hair]

The garden snake moulted its old skin in one clean piece behind the shed.

transitive: moult + skin

同義詞
  • shed

    a broader everyday word; applies to anything cast off, not only body covering

  • cast off

    more formal and often implies deliberately discarding something unwanted

  • slough

    specifically for reptiles and amphibians shedding outer skin in patches

文法句型

moult + [feathers/fur/skin/hair]

用法筆記

British spelling; American English uses 'molt'. The verb works both with and without an object: a snake can moult, or moult its skin.

常見錯誤

❌The dog moulted its collar and ran away.
✅The dog shed its collar and ran away.
💡'moult' is only for natural body covering (feathers, fur, skin); 'shed' is the general word for getting rid of anything.
❌The snake molted its skin.' (in British English)
✅The snake moulted its skin.
💡British spelling is 'moult'; American spelling is 'molt'.