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 fish will also serve as scaly ambassadors for Biosphere 2's many visitors (more than 3 million since 1991, according to the organization), who will weave through the desert landscape.
—Alina Hartounian, NPR, 7 July 2025
Visitors to the Lincoln Public Library were treated to a scaly visitor as Larami Burge with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission brought a juvenile alligator for families to see and pet.
—arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025
The tree has smooth bark that is grayish brown and becomes scaly with age.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
This could be beneficial for inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, which causes dry, itchy, scaly, inflamed patches on the body.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scaly
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Alina Hartounian, NPR, 7 July 2025
Visitors to the Lincoln Public Library were treated to a scaly visitor as Larami Burge with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission brought a juvenile alligator for families to see and pet.
—arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025
The tree has smooth bark that is grayish brown and becomes scaly with age.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
This could be beneficial for inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, which causes dry, itchy, scaly, inflamed patches on the body.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 5 June 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 18 Jul. 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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