mealy
Americanadjective
-
having the qualities of meal; powdery; soft, dry, and crumbly.
mealy potatoes; a mealy stone.
-
of or containing meal; farinaceous.
baked fish with a mealy crust.
-
covered with or as if with meal or powder.
flowers mealy with their pollen.
-
flecked as if with meal; spotty.
horses with mealy hides.
-
pale; sallow.
a mealy complexion.
adjective
-
resembling meal; powdery
-
containing or consisting of meal or grain
-
sprinkled or covered with meal or similar granules
-
(esp of horses) spotted; mottled
-
pale in complexion
-
short for mealy-mouthed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mealy
Explanation
Mealy things contain or resemble flour or any other grain that's been ground into a powdery substance (i.e., meal). Good cornbread is moist and cake-like, instead of dry and mealy. You'll usually find the adjective mealy describing food that doesn't taste great, whether it's an undercooked, mealy sauce or an overripe, mealy apple. In both of these examples, the food tastes dry and bland, and has a crumbly feeling on the tongue. Other mealy things might look like meal, like a mealy sandbox or the mealy bark of a tree. The Old English source of mealy is melu, "meal or flour."
Vocabulary lists containing mealy
American Gods
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Top 50 Wordle Words of 2023
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Red, White, and Whole
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The female version is Julia Roberts’ “Runaway Bride,” so mealy about her own feelings that she ditches four grooms at the altar.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025
This removes any dust that may collect on the leaves and helps reduce the risk of insect pests such as mealy bugs and aphids.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 20, 2023
Tomatoes tend to get more mealy in the fridge than when stored at room temperature, but if they are getting too soft, refrigerate to keep them a few more days.
From Washington Times • Jul. 27, 2023
"Chilled tomatoes will have an unpleasantly mealy texture and a muted flavor," Ziata wrote.
From Salon • Oct. 1, 2022
“But why are you going now?” she asked, the chew of mealy potato thick in her braces.
From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth
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.
