ecdysis

From Ancient Greek ἔκδυσις (ékdusis, “stripping”), from ἐκδύω (ekdúō, “I take off”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) + δύω (dúō, “I get in”).

ecdysis (countable and uncountable, plural ecdyses)

1. The shedding of an outer layer of skin in snakes and certain other animals; moulting
2. The shedding of an exoskeleton, as in insects and crustaceans.

• ecdysiast
• ecdysiotropic
• ecdysone