scaly

From Middle English scali, skaly. By surface analysis, scale +‎ -y.

• IPA^(key): /ˈskeɪli/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪli

scaly (comparative scalier, superlative scaliest)

1. Covered or abounding with scales.

   Synonyms: squamulose; see also Thesaurus:scaly

   Antonyms: scaleless, esquamulose

   a scaly fish  a scaly stem

2. Composed of scales lying over each other.

   a scaly bulb

3. Resembling scales, laminae, or layers.
4. (dated, vulgar or South Africa) low, mean.

   a scaly fellow

   • 1923, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter II, in Leave It to Psmith:

     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.

• (covered with scales): lepidote (bot.), leprose (bot.)
• (resembling scales): leprose (bot.)

• (rare) unscaly

 

scaly (plural scalies)

1. (South Africa) The scaly yellowfish (Labeobarbus natalensis).

•   Scaly yellowfish on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
•   Labeobarbus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
•   Labeobarbus on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

• Clays, acyls, clays