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
Because reptiles are our evolutionary predecessors, some researchers long believed that this instinctual part of the brain was the only part that originated with our scaly ancestors — and that without human-like brain structures, reptiles didn’t have the capacity for emotions at all.
—Lily Carey, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
Mayo Clinic describes plaque psoriasis as a skin disease that causes itchy, scaly rashes, usually on the knees, elbows and scalp.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
In the mountainous, desert landscape of the Tibetan Plateau, a small, scaly reptile scurries across the sand.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
These scaly reptiles may be one of the most sustainable animals to farm on the planet, according to new research published last week in the journal Scientific Reports.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
The crud that forms there is a byproduct of cylindrical dandruff—a waxy, scaly substance that builds up at the follicle base around individual lashes—and collarettes, a.k.a., uh, mite poop.
—Ali Finney, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Psoriasis is a chronic and incurable skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly and sometimes painful patches, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024
Furry, scaly and winged friends at the Sacramento Zoo are welcoming a new neighbor this week.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 8 Feb. 2024
With Gerard Butler as his father (and clan chief) and America Ferrera as Astrid, his competitive and fierce love interest, the roster is strong — and the dragon in question (Toothless) is as cute as a scaly button.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2023
Lily Carey, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
Mayo Clinic describes plaque psoriasis as a skin disease that causes itchy, scaly rashes, usually on the knees, elbows and scalp.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
In the mountainous, desert landscape of the Tibetan Plateau, a small, scaly reptile scurries across the sand.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
These scaly reptiles may be one of the most sustainable animals to farm on the planet, according to new research published last week in the journal Scientific Reports.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
The crud that forms there is a byproduct of cylindrical dandruff—a waxy, scaly substance that builds up at the follicle base around individual lashes—and collarettes, a.k.a., uh, mite poop.
—Ali Finney, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024
Psoriasis is a chronic and incurable skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly and sometimes painful patches, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024
Furry, scaly and winged friends at the Sacramento Zoo are welcoming a new neighbor this week.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 8 Feb. 2024
With Gerard Butler as his father (and clan chief) and America Ferrera as Astrid, his competitive and fierce love interest, the roster is strong — and the dragon in question (Toothless) is as cute as a scaly button.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2023
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 23 Apr. 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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