flaky
Americanadjective
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flakier,
comparative
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flakiest
superlative
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of or like flakes.
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lying or cleaving off in flakes or layers.
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Slang. eccentric; wacky; dizzy.
a flaky math professor.
adjective
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like or made of flakes
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tending to peel off or break easily into flakes
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Also: flakey. slang eccentric; crazy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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flakinessnoun
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nonflakilynessnoun
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nonflakyadjective
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unflakyadjective
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flakilyadverb
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nonflakilyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of flaky
First recorded in 1570–80; 1965–70 flaky for def. 3; flake 1 + -y 1; sense of flaky def. 3 probably flake 4 + -y 1, though influenced by flake 1
Explanation
If you are flaky, you are off-beat and you probably don’t function in society quite like everyone else. If you say you’ll come to a party and then forget to show up, you are flaky. People are flaky (also spelled flakey) if they are wacky and unconventional, but to say someone is flaky is not really a compliment. If you want to buffer the blow of calling your friend an odd-ball, don’t say she’s flaky — say she’s eccentric. Pie crusts, snow, certain rocks, and dandruff can also be flaky, which means that they come apart in layered bits. Flakiness is a good thing for pie crusts, but not for your scalp.
Vocabulary lists containing flaky
Long Way Down
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Voilà: Croissant Lingo
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The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Your sister-in-law may just be a bit flaky.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
The results are flaky rows of delicate porcelain that resemble oversize scales or ruffling coral.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
A roast chicken dinner becomes more festive when it’s accompanied by a skillet of cornbread and a basket of flaky biscuits.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
“The meat is so juicy, meltingly tender and flaky ... it’s way beyond expectations,” they said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
But a lot of people think she’s flaky and weird.
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
Cold dough will also make for a flakier pie crust — because no one wants their crust to be tough or chewy.
From Salon ● Nov. 12, 2023
Traditional English scones are lighter and flakier than their American counterparts.
From New York Times ● May 5, 2023
Scones spread less, pie crust is flakier and cookies are better in countless ways.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 21, 2023
Not only is it far less faff to make, but it proves crisper and flakier than ordinary shortcrust, and a pleasant contrast with the rich filling.
From The Guardian ● May 15, 2019
The less liquid used to accomplish this condition, the flakier will be the crust when it is baked.
From Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume 4: Salads and Sandwiches; Cold and Frozen Desserts; Cakes, Cookies and Puddings; Pastries and Pies by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Another of the castle's secrets shared exclusively with Salon by Thorington was the secret to the flakiest pastry crust ever, which became the most-read story published by Salon Food this year.
From Salon ● Dec. 31, 2019
We think it produces the best-tasting, lightest, flakiest crust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2018
But it will take hard work to revive breakfast’s flakiest business.
From Economist ● Feb. 18, 2016
In doing so, each challenged the flakiest fans to commit to the creators' muses despite the angularities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2015
Grandma served the flakiest of noble chicken-pies at her side of the table, while Aunt Alice served an oyster-pie of the same proportions and quite as delicious.
From A Dear Little Girl's Thanksgiving Holidays by Amy Ella Blanchard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
