taxidermy

From Ancient Greek τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”, “order”) +‎ δέρμα (dérma, “skin”). Analysable as taxi- +‎ derm- +‎ -y.

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtæksɪdɚmi/

• Audio (Southern England)

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taxidermy (countable and uncountable, plural taxidermies)

1. The art of stuffing and mounting the skins of dead animals for exhibition in a lifelike state.

taxidermy (third-person singular simple present taxidermies, present participle taxidermying, simple past and past participle taxidermied)

1. (transitive) To stuff and mount the skin of a dead animal.
   • 1945, The Saturday Evening Post, volume 218, page 26:

     Today's taxidermying is a combination of field work, calipers and Rodin. The hunters who get the animals for the leading museums of natural science bring 'em back dead, but measured within an inch of their lives […]

   • 2012, Giovanni Aloi, Art and Animals:

     It is indeed true that in recent years the business of taxidermying cats and dogs for mourning owners has blossomed into some form of art, especially in the United States.

   • 2017, Linda Kalof, The Oxford Handbook of Animal Studies, page 434:

     Even when mounted in the context of animal-centric conferences or events, exhibits of “animal art” routinely display works consisting of animal parts or taxidermied animals—most of which can be viewed while people are eating their politically correct vegan lunch.