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
Trump — one of the oldest presidents in United States history — drew media reactions after photographers inside the White House event snapped images (below) that showed deep red marks on the right side of his neck, with a scaly patch on the outer layer of his skin.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Mar. 2026
McManus suggested that people’s love for their furry, feathery or scaly companions transcends party lines.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes discolored, scaly plaques on the skin.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Those symptoms include anemia, loosened teeth that may fall out, bleeding under the skin, bruising, swollen legs, rough and scaly skin, dry and brittle hair that coils, and the re-opening of wounds that do not heal.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scaly
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Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Mar. 2026
McManus suggested that people’s love for their furry, feathery or scaly companions transcends party lines.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes discolored, scaly plaques on the skin.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Those symptoms include anemia, loosened teeth that may fall out, bleeding under the skin, bruising, swollen legs, rough and scaly skin, dry and brittle hair that coils, and the re-opening of wounds that do not heal.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scaly
Cite this Entry
“Scaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scaly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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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