The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Taxidermy \Tax"i*der`my\, n. [Gr. ? an arranging, arrangement
   (fr. ? to arrange) + ? a skin, from ? to skin: cf. F.
   taxidermie. See Tactics, Tear, v. t.]
   The art of preparing, preserving, and mounting the skins of
   animals so as to represent their natural appearance, as for
   cabinets.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

taxidermy
    n 1: the art of mounting the skins of animals so that they have
         lifelike appearance