scaly en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈskeɪli/
Etymology
From Middle English scali, skaly. By surface analysis, scale + -y.
Meanings
-
Covered or abounding with scales.
Like scaly carp and feathered swan To nature's world we do belong.
1988, “Mayhem Maybe”, in Ian Anderson (music), 20 Years of Jethro Tull, performed by Jethro Tull:a scaly fish a scaly stem
If the lids of the eyes become inflamed and scaly, do not seek to remove the scales roughly, for they will bring the lashes with them.
1876, Eliza Bisbee Duffey, Our Behaviour: A Manual of Etiquette and Dress of the Best American Society, Philadelphia:
-
Composed of scales lying over each other.
a scaly bulb
- Resembling scales, laminae, or layers.
-
(South-Africa, dated, vulgar) low, mean.
This done, he removed the hat; and having touched his forehead lightly with a silk handkerchief, for the afternoon sun was warm, gazed about him with a grave distaste. “A scaly neighbourhood!” he murmured. The young man’s judgment was one at which few people with an eye for beauty would have cavilled.
1923, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter II, in Leave It to Psmith:a scaly fellow
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scalier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| scaliest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
nonscaly · scaleless · esquamulose · esquamulose · unscaly · scaleless
Deriveds
scalily · scaly-breasted lorikeet · scaly-sided merganser · nonscaly · scaly legs · Cameroon scaly-tail · scaly spleenwort · scaliness · scalyfin · scaly-tailed possum · scaly tetter · scalyfoot · scalybutt · scaly clam · scaly-foot gastropod · scaly thrush · scaly anteater
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Relateds
Synonyms
squamoid · squamous · furfuraceous · squamulose · squamulose · scaly · lepidote (covered with scales) · leprose (covered with scales) · squamated · leprose (resembling scales) · squamiferous · squamate · scaled · scarious · squarrose
Translations (33)
bg люспест (covered or abounding with scales) · ro solzos (covered or abounding with scales) · la squāmeus (covered or abounding with scales) · grc λεπιδωτός (covered or abounding with scales) · de schuppig (covered or abounding with scales) · es escuamiforme (resembling scales, laminae, or layers) · fi suomuinen (covered or abounding with scales) · ro scuamos (covered or abounding with scales) · ca escamós (covered or abounding with scales) · fi suomumainen (resembling scales, laminae, or layers) · nl geschubd (covered or abounding with scales) · ang scorfed (covered or abounding with scales) · izh soomukas (covered or abounding with scales) · pl łuskowaty (resembling scales, laminae, or layers) · pt escamoso (covered or abounding with scales) · ar مُحَرْشَف (covered or abounding with scales) · ar حَرْشَفِيّ (covered or abounding with scales) · ru чешу́йчатый (resembling scales, laminae, or layers) · ang scilig (covered or abounding with scales) · nl schubachtig (resembling scales, laminae, or layers) · fr écailleux (covered or abounding with scales) · es escamoso (covered or abounding with scales) · oc escamós (covered or abounding with scales) · la squāmōsus (covered or abounding with scales) · sv fjällig (covered or abounding with scales) · pdt scheepich (covered or abounding with scales) · pl łuskowaty (covered or abounding with scales) · eo skvama (covered or abounding with scales) · ru чешу́йчатый (covered or abounding with scales) · cs šupinový (covered or abounding with scales) · cy cennog (covered or abounding with scales) · lv zvīņains (covered or abounding with scales) · cs šupinatý (covered or abounding with scales)