molting
UK[ˈməʊltɪŋ]US[ˈmoʊltɪŋ]
n
the process of shedding old feathers, hair, or skin, to make way for new growth
v
(present participle of molt) to shed old feathers, hair, or skin, to make way for new growth
Morpheme Breakdown
molt
ing
molt
to shed
ing
noun/gerund suffix
Etymology
the word 'molting' traces its lineage to the fundamental concept of change. its core, 'molt', descends from the old english verb mutian, meaning 'to change', which itself was borrowed from the latin mutare, sharing the same meaning. the addition of the '-ing' suffix, an old english noun-forming element, transforms the action into the name of the process. thus, the literal 'changing' of an animal's outer covering evolved into the specific biological term for the periodic shedding and renewal of feathers, hair, or skin.
Analysis
Structure: molt (to shed) + ing (noun/gerund suffix)
- molt: from middle english mouten, from old english mutian (to change), from latin mutare (to change). functions as the core verb root.
- ing: from old english -ung, -ing, a suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating an action or process.
Examples
the bird was molting, leaving a trail of tiny feathers in its cage.
snakes undergo molting several times a year as they grow.
the crab emerged from its old shell after completing the molting process.