Shedding or casting off of an animal's outer layer or covering and formation of its replacement. Regulated by hormones, molting occurs throughout the animal kingdom. It includes the shedding and replacement of horns, hair, skin, and feathers and the process by which a nymph or other organism sheds an external skeleton for the purpose of growth or change in shape.

Learn more about molting with a free trial on Britannica.com.

• Shedding (pelage)
• Shedding (loom)
• Shedding (game)