Scaly
/ˈskeɪ.li/noun
Covered with, resembling, or having scales.
Did you know?Scaly ultimately traces back to the same Proto-Indo-European root *skel- that gave English shell, scale, and husk—words all tied to peeling, splitting, and protective coverings.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skel-
“to split, peel, or shell”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skalô
“shell, scale, husk”
Old English
English
scealu
“shell, husk, pod”
Middle English
English
scale
“a thin plate or husk-like covering”
16th Century
English
scaly
“covered with scales”