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
Last season’s finale featured a scaly fracas that resulted in Luke’s death.
—Omar L. Gallaga, Washington Post, 8 July 2024
Recognizable for their scaly armor and ability to curl into a ball, armadillos are a familiar sight in the United States.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 June 2024
This condition also manifests as scaly patches on the skin and arises in areas of the body that produce lots of oil.
—Bebe Hodges, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
But something caught the scaly animal and hauled it to the surface.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for scaly 
Omar L. Gallaga, Washington Post, 8 July 2024
Recognizable for their scaly armor and ability to curl into a ball, armadillos are a familiar sight in the United States.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 27 June 2024
This condition also manifests as scaly patches on the skin and arises in areas of the body that produce lots of oil.
—Bebe Hodges, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
But something caught the scaly animal and hauled it to the surface.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for scaly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scaly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near scaly
Cite this Entry
“Scaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scaly. Accessed 15 Jul. 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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