scalier; scaliest
2
: of or relating to scaly animals
3
: despicable, poor
a regular scaly old shop—
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens4
: infested with scale insects
scaly fruit
scaliness
noun
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
See all Example Sentences for scaly 
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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
See all Example Sentences for scaly
Dictionary Entries Near scaly
Cite this Entry
“Scaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scaly. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scaly
adjective
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
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