taxidermist

/ˌtæksəˈdʌrməst/

/ˈtæksɪdəmɪst/

Other forms: taxidermists

Those creepy stuffed and mounted raccoons in your grandparents' house were crafted by a taxidermist, a person who is skilled at making lifelike displays from the bodies of dead animals.

Taxidermy is the art of preserving, arranging, and displaying animal bodies so they can be hung on hunters' walls or set up in natural history museums. A person who practices taxidermy is called a taxidermist. Some taxidermists are trained professionals and others do it as a hobby, preserving the animal's skin, shaping it on a wooden or wire form, and adding specially made glass eyes.

Definitions of taxidermist

1. noun

   a craftsman who stuffs and mounts the skins of animals for display
   synonyms: animal stuffer, stuffer

   type of:

   artificer, artisan, craftsman, journeyman

   a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft