Dictionary

flaky en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfleɪki/

Etymology

Etymology tree English flake Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English flaky From flake + -y.

Meanings

1. Consisting of flakes or of small, loose masses; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes or layers; flakelike.
2. (informal, of a person) Unreliable; likely to make plans with others but then abandon those plans.
   • I have noticed that when hustlers upgrade themselves to models (as distinguished from models who have never hustled) they tend to continue being flaky about appointments. On my last trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, I was stood up twice. 2014, Joseph Itiel, A Consumer's Guide to Male Hustlers:
3. (informal, of a thing) Unreliable; working only on an intermittent basis; likely due to malfunction.
   • Toeava went over unopposed to stretch his side's lead but Japan got on the scoreboard on 56 minutes, wing Hirotoki Onozawa intercepting an attempted offload from Slade, who had a rather flaky game, and running in from the All Blacks' 10m line. 2011 September 16, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 83-7 Japan”, in BBC Sport:
   • I cannot enjoy the online game because of my flaky Internet connection.

Forms

Deriveds

unflaky · flaky pastry · flakiness · nonflaky · flakily

Relateds

cornflakey

Translations (39)

fi epäluotettava (of a person: unreliable) · de flockig (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · bg люспест (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · ru ненадёжный (of a person: unreliable) · uk пласті́вча́стий (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · fr lâcheur (of a person: unreliable) · de aus Schichten bestehend (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · de unzuverlässig (of a person: unreliable) · uk легкова́жний (of a person: unreliable) · gl escamento (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · sv opålitlig (of a person: unreliable) · el φολιδοειδής (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · nl vlokkig (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · es malqueda (of a person: unreliable) · pl postrzelony (of a person: unreliable) · el αλλοπρόσαλλος (of a person: unreliable) · gl escamudo (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · ru хлопьевидный (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · yi אומפֿאַרלאָזלעך (of a person: unreliable) · de schuppig (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · ja 頼りない (of a person: unreliable) · de blättrig (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · fi hiutalemainen (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · fi häilähtelevä (of a person: unreliable) · el λεπιοειδής (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · mi māhunga wai (of a person: unreliable) · eo malasidua (of a person: unreliable) · es faltón (of a person: unreliable) · ru ветреный (of a person: unreliable) · it strambo (of a person: unreliable) · fi ailahteleva (of a person: unreliable) · es poco / no / nada fiable (of a person: unreliable) · uk непе́вний (of a person: unreliable) · es hojaldrado (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · sv lynnig (of a person: unreliable) · de exzentrisch (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · it inaffidabile (of a person: unreliable) · fi hilseilevä (Consisting of flakes; lying, or cleaving off, in flakes; flakelike) · mk недо́верлив (of a person: unreliable)