Ecdysis

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ecdysis \Ec"dy*sis\, n.; pl. {Ecdyses}. [NL., fr. Gr. 'e`kdysis
     a getting out, fr. 'ekdy`ein, to put off; 'ek out + dy`ein to
     enter.] (Biol.)
     The act of shedding, or casting off, an outer cuticular
     layer, as in the case of serpents, lobsters, etc.; a coming
     out; as, the ecdysis of the pupa from its shell; exuviation.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ecdysis
       n : periodic shedding of the cuticle in arthropods or the outer
           skin in reptiles [syn: {molt}, {molting}, {moult}, {moulting}]
       [also: {ecdyses} (pl)]