Molt
/moʊlt/
verbnounB2
Definition
To molt is when an animal naturally loses its outer covering, like feathers, skin, or shell, so it can grow new, healthy ones. This happens regularly in some animals as part of their growth or seasonal changes. As a noun, molt refers to the process or time when this shedding happens.
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See It in Action
To shed old skin, feathers, or shell (verb)
- •Birds molt their feathers once a year to stay healthy.
- •The snake molts its skin as it grows bigger.
- •Crabs molt their shells to grow new, larger ones.
The process or period of shedding (noun)
- •The bird is going through a molt this spring.
- •During molt, animals may look less colorful or weaker.
- •Scientists study the molt to understand animal growth cycles.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'molt' like 'lose' (A1 word), but only for skin, feathers, or shells that animals need to replace
- ✓Picture a bird dropping old feathers on the ground while new, fresh feathers grow in their place
- ✓It's the feeling of needing to get rid of old clothes that don't fit anymore and putting on new ones
- ✓Sounds like 'molt' → imagine a mole digging under the ground and leaving old skin behind as it moves forward
- ✓Think about snakes shedding their skin—this is a clear example of molt, a natural renewal
- ✓NOT like 'fall' (things fall by accident or gravity)—molt is a controlled, natural process animals do themselves
- ✓NOT like 'grow' (adding new parts)—molt is about losing old parts first to make room for new growth
- ✓NOT like 'change' in general—molt is a specific biological process involving skin or feathers
Try Other Words
- •Shed: to lose or drop naturally (Use when talking about general loss, like hair or leaves)
- •Cast off: to throw away or lose something (Use especially for shells or exoskeletons in animals)
- •Peel: to remove outer layer (Use more for plants or fruit skins, less for animals)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) — 'molt' is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old English 'meltan,' related to 'melt' but changed to mean shedding skin/feathers
- •Historical development: Originally referred to shedding or falling off; evolved to mean animal shedding
- •Modern usage: Used in biology and everyday speech about animals losing old outer layers naturally
Reflect & Connect
•How does molting help animals survive and grow in their natural environments?
•Can you think of human activities or changes that are similar to molting in animals?
Fill in the blanks
1.Birds molt their feathers ___ to replace old, worn ones with fresh feathers.
2.When a snake molts, it ___ its old skin to allow room for growth.
3.Molt is different from simply losing hair because it involves ___ parts like feathers or shells.
4.During molt, some animals may look ___ or less colorful than usual.
5.Crabs must molt their shells ___ they want to grow bigger.
6.The process of molt usually happens ___ and is controlled by the animal's body.
7.Scientists watch molt periods to learn ___ about animal health and life cycles.