scaly
adjective
\ ˈskā-lē
\
\
scalier;
scaliest
Definition of scaly
2
: of or relating to scaly animals
3
: despicable, poor
a regular scaly old shop— Charles Dickens
4
: infested with scale insects
scaly fruit
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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
As if to highlight that risk, the International Union for Conservation of Nature last week for the first time declared a deep ocean animal, the scaly-foot snail, endangered from deep sea mining. — Todd Woody, National Geographic, "Do we know enough about the deep sea to mine it?," 24 July 2019 Before going to bed, apply a thin layer of over-the-counter salicylic acid and a dollop of Vaseline to areas where your skin is thick or scaly, then put on your socks, says Waldorf. — Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, "The 20 Best Instant Anti-Aging Beauty Secrets," 24 June 2019 Over the years, Kardashian West has been open on social media about struggling with the skin condition which causes red, scaly patches usually on the legs, elbows and lower back and are caused by genetics. — Kaitlyn Frey, PEOPLE.com, "This Is the Most Real Photo Kim Kardashian Has Ever Shared of Her Psoriasis," 1 July 2019 Like most vultures, turkey and black vultures have bare heads and scaly skin. — Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, "Ecological services, courtesy of your local vultures," 19 June 2019 Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised red, scaly patches to appear on the skin, most commonly on the elbows, knees, and scalp. — Samantha Lauriello, Health.com, "Kim Kardashian Says Her New KKW Beauty Body Makeup Is Her ‘Secret’ to Covering Up Psoriasis," 17 June 2019 The country’s origin myth is about the crocodile Lafaek Diak, who out of friendship for a human boy sacrificed itself to become the child’s home — the island of Timor, with each scaly bump on its back turning into a mountain. — Matthew Abbott, New York Times, "The Revered Crocodiles of This Island Nation Have Suddenly Started Killing People," 6 June 2019 Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, can cause red, scaly patches that may itch, crack, and bleed. — Claire Gillespie, SELF, "4 Tips for Putting on Makeup When You Have Psoriasis on Your Face," 24 May 2019 People have long sought relief from eczema—the itchy, scaly, rash-causing skin disorder that affects one in 10 Americans—in lotions, cleansing creams and special soaps. — Susan Kitchens, WSJ, "Bacteria May Offer New Hope for Treating Skin Disorders," 5 Feb. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scaly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for scaly
scaly
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of scaly
: covered with scales or flakes
See the full definition for scaly in the English Language Learners Dictionary
scaly
adjective
\ ˈskā-lē
\
\
scalier;
scaliest
Kids Definition of scaly
: covered with scales or flakes
scaly skin
scaly
adjective
\ ˈskā-lē
\
\
scalier;
scaliest
Keep scrolling for more