Pronunciation: [ʃˈɛdɪŋ] (IPA) 
The word "shedding" is spelled with the letters S-H-E-D-D-I-N-G. Its IPA phonetic transcription is ʃɛdɪŋ. The first syllable "shed" is pronounced with a "sh" sound, followed by the short "e" sound. The second syllable "ding" is pronounced with a voiced "d" sound, followed by the short "i" sound and the nasal "ng" sound. The word shedding is commonly used to refer to the process of losing hair or skin, such as shedding of leaves or fur.
Shedding is a term that refers to the natural process of losing or discarding something. It commonly refers to the shedding of hair, fur, feathers, or skin by animals, as part of their regular physiological growth and renewal. This process allows animals to get rid of old or damaged parts and replace them with new ones.
In the case of mammals, hair shedding occurs throughout their life cycle and is influenced by factors such as changes in temperature, seasonal variations, or hormonal cycles. For example, many dogs and cats experience shedding more heavily during spring and fall as a response to temperature changes. Similarly, humans shed hair regularly, typically losing around 50-100 hairs per day, which is considered normal.
Reptiles and birds undergo skin or feather shedding, respectively, as they grow. This process is crucial for them to maintain healthy and functional skin and feathers. Reptiles, like snakes, shed their skin periodically to accommodate their growing bodies or to replace damaged skin. For birds, feather shedding often occurs during molting, a process where old feathers are replaced with new ones to maintain the quality of their plumage.
In a broader sense, shedding can also refer to the act of getting rid of something unwanted or unnecessary. For instance, when humans declutter their homes or discard old belongings, they are said to be shedding. Similarly, some plants shed their leaves during certain seasons as part of their growth cycle.
Act of scattering; that which is cast off or out.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "shedding" originated from the Old English term "sceadan", which means "to separate" or "to divide". This Old English word itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic root word "skaidaną". Over time, the term "sceadan" evolved into "sceden" and later became "shed" in Middle English. The noun form of "shedding" emerged in the 16th century, referring to the action of shedding or separating.
