pelt

Pelt is the skin of a fur-bearing animal, typically with the hair or fur still attached. In common usage, pelts are the raw materials of the fur trade and are also referred to as fur skins. Pelts vary by species, fur length, and the condition of the hide, and they are priced and traded accordingly.

Processing pelts involves curing or tanning to preserve the hide and stabilize the fur for wearing or display. In fur production, pelts are sorted by species, size, fur quality, and pelt orientation. Pelts have historically been used to make garments, hats, trims, and other goods, and remain a commodity in fashion and specialized crafts. Ethical and environmental concerns have led to regulations and debates about fur farming, trapping, and animal welfare.

Pelt is also the name of a municipality in the Limburg province of Belgium.

As a verb, to pelt means to strike or bombard with missiles, or to rain down, as in pelting rain. This usage dates from the Middle English period.