adjective
flaky
FLAY-kee
Flaky (adjective) means Made up of thin, loose layers that easily break apart. Example: “The pastry had a wonderfully flaky crust.”
adjective
1
Made up of thin, loose layers that easily break apart.
"The pastry had a wonderfully flaky crust."
2
Unreliable, especially about keeping plans or commitments.
"He's a great cook but notoriously flaky about showing up on time."
3
Working only inconsistently, especially describing a device, connection, or system.
"The office Wi-Fi has been flaky all week."
How to use flaky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literally crumbly/layered, or (informally) unreliable — a person who cancels plans, or a system that misbehaves intermittently.
Common pairings
flaky pastry
flaky connection
a flaky friend
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Word forms
- Comparative
- flakier
- Superlative
- flakiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pastry had a wonderfully _____ crust.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for flaky
See all rhymes for flaky →Frequently asked questions
What does “flaky” mean?
The word “flaky” means made up of thin, loose layers that easily break apart. In plain terms, either literally crumbly/layered, or (informally) unreliable — a person who cancels plans, or a system that misbehaves intermittently.
How do you pronounce “flaky”?
“Flaky” is pronounced FLAY-kee (/ˈfleɪki/ in IPA).
How do you use “flaky” in a sentence?
Here is “flaky” used in a sentence: “The pastry had a wonderfully flaky crust.”
What part of speech is “flaky”?
“Flaky” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “flaky” have?
“Flaky” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: made up of thin, loose layers that easily break apart.
