scaly

adjective

ˈskā-lē 

scalier; scaliest

1

a

: covered with, composed of, or rich in scale or scales

b

: flaky

2

: of or relating to scaly animals

3

: despicable, poor

a regular scaly old shop

—Charles Dickens

4

: infested with scale insects

scaly fruit

scaliness noun

Synonyms

• scaled
• squamous

Examples of scaly in a Sentence

His skin was dry and scaly.

the snake's scaly skin was dry to the touch

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of the sleek and smooth scales on snakes and lizards, crocodiles have a more lumpy and three dimensional pattern on their scaly heads. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Dec. 2024

Think high-octane Holiday glam, with volume and scaly texture in solid gold and diamond accents, that channels all the power of the snake. —Kate Matthams, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

To avoid making things worse, get your fingers off your scaly nose, perhaps by keeping your hands busy (with a fidget spinner, say, or your sweater’s fuzzy fabric). —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 4 Dec. 2024

Reader Question How to make seb derm and KP go away forever? — asks Anonymous Allure Reader Dear Reader, Unfortunately, both seborrheic dermatitis (a skin condition that causes itchy, scaly patches on the scalp) and keratosis pilaris (rough, scaly bumps on limbs) are chronic. —Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing scaly

• scaly anteater

Kids Definition

scaly

adjective

ˈskā-lē 

scalier; scaliest

1

a

: covered with, composed of, or resembling scale or scales

b

: flaky sense 2

scaly skin

2

: infested with scale insects

scaly fruit

Medical Definition

scaly

adjective

ˈskā-lē 

scalier; scaliest

: covered with or composed of scale or scales

dry scaly skin

scaliness noun