[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scaly.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / scaly

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# scaly

«scaly» in Mova's school dictionary: **Covered with scales, the small hard flat plates on fish…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (scaly, scalier, scaliest)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Covered with scales, the small hard flat plates on fish, snakes and lizards. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#m1)

2) Dry and flaky, like skin that is peeling: "scaly skin". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In science lessons pupils learn that reptiles have dry, scaly skin and fish have scales too; this helps sort animals into groups. In everyday life dry skin can become scaly in winter. In stories, dragons are often scaly. Phrases: scaly skin, scaly tail, scaly legs.

### examples

- Snakes have scaly skin. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x1)
- The dragon had a long scaly tail. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x2)
- Reptiles are scaly and lay eggs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x3)
- A bird's legs are scaly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x4)
- My hands get dry and scaly in winter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x5)
- Crocodiles have thick scaly backs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x6)
- The fish felt cool and scaly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x7)
- And he lay there on his great green scaly side, panting, and very much out of breath, because he had come such a long way. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/#x8)

### note

Comparative: scalier, scaliest. From "scale" (one small plate). Science myth: snakes are not slimy; their scaly skin is dry. "Scale" also means a weighing machine and a ruler-like line of numbers, which is a different word.

### In the corpora

- [Jaguar tells his Mother that the two «have gone shares in their prickles», because both are scaly all over.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/83-justso-armadillos-2-the-first-armadillo/24/)
- [Ringworm is a fungus infection making a red scaly ring, treated with antifungal cream; it can come from people or pets.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/medicine/11-spots-and-itches-chickenpox-head-lice-and-friends/11/)
- [Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and most lay eggs with leathery shells.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/world/24-animal-groups/10/)
- [Reptiles' dry, scaly skin keeps water in their bodies, so many can live in deserts.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/world/74-fish-frogs-reptiles/18/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «scaly» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scaly/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.