exuviation

1 of 2

noun

ex·​u·​vi·​a·​tion ig-ˌzü-vē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce exuviation (audio)
: the process of molting

exuviate

2 of 2

verb

ex·​u·​vi·​ate
-vēˌāt
-ed/-ing/-s
: molt
exuviation
igˌ⸗⸗ˈāshən How to pronounce exuviate (audio)
(ˌ)egˌ-
noun
plural -s

Word History

Etymology

Verb

exuvial + -ate

First Known Use

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exuviation was in 1839

Rhymes for exuviation

See All Rhymes for exuviation

Browse Nearby Words

exuviate
exuviation
ex vi termini
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exuviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exuviation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

exuviation

noun
ex·​u·​vi·​a·​tion -ˌzü-vē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce exuviation (audio)
: the process of producing exuviae
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of acquisitive

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 3
See More

Popular

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All