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
The scaly lizard-like race of the Drac plainly acts as a generic symbol of any misunderstood or aggressive adversary with a culture, agenda, or ideology that happens to clash with our own and feels uncomfortably foreign.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 20 Dec. 2025
Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and can survive in hot, harsh environments such as sandy deserts.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2025
In southern Arizona, this scaly lizard population is in a rocky, upward race for survival.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 22 Nov. 2025
Some may also experience itchy or scaly skin; swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat; and wheezing or shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scaly
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Jeff Spry, Space.com, 20 Dec. 2025
Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and can survive in hot, harsh environments such as sandy deserts.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2025
In southern Arizona, this scaly lizard population is in a rocky, upward race for survival.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 22 Nov. 2025
Some may also experience itchy or scaly skin; swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat; and wheezing or shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scaly
Cite this Entry
“Scaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scaly. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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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