flaky
flaky Lexical Profile
flaky Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Breaking or separating easily into small, thin, flat pieces or layers, often used to describe dry skin, peeling paint, or light baked pastry.
"The baker was praised for her croissants, which had a wonderfully crisp and flaky crust."
(Informal) Unreliable, forgetful, or prone to canceling plans and failing to follow through on commitments; also, mildly eccentric or unconventional in behavior.
"He is a friendly guy, but he is far too flaky to be trusted with organizing the conference schedule."
(Informal, computing) Tending to malfunction, crash, or operate intermittently and unpredictably (of software, hardware, or a network connection).
"The wireless internet connection in the hotel was so flaky that I could barely join the video call."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'flaky' is the standard and preferred spelling in modern dictionaries, 'flakey' is occasionally seen as an informal variant, particularly for the slang sense meaning unreliable or eccentric.
• Rhymes for flaky
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived in the late 16th century from 'flake' (of Middle English and Scandinavian origin, akin to Old Norse 'flaki') plus the suffix '-y'. The informal North American sense meaning 'eccentric' or 'unreliable' emerged in 1950s sports slang.