chalky

[ chaw-kee ]

adjective

, chalk·i·er, chalk·i·est.

1. of or like chalk.
2. of a chalklike consistency:

   chalky soil.

3. without resonance, color, warmth, etc.:

   several high tones that were quite chalky.

4. Photography. lacking in detail, due to extreme contrast:

   a chalky print.

5. Sports Slang. relating to the competitor considered most likely to win by the oddsmakers:

   Sports betting is boring if all you make are chalky picks—put some money on a long shot and live a little!

Other Words From

• chalk·i·ness noun
• non·chalk·y adjective
• un·chalk·y adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chalky¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English chalki, chalky; chalk, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Once there, you can hike, bike or drive a 13-mile loop through a landscape of stacked and tumbled boulders, some fiery red, some chalky white, many so strangely striated that you may suspect they’ve been scrubbed with steel wool.

From Los Angeles Times

Bradie Crandall, a powerlifter with PlantBuilt who uses the social media handle Vegan Hercules, said he saves money by mixing an admittedly "chalky" blend of unflavored pea and rice protein powders, which he buys in bulk.

From Salon

At Uplift Climbing in Shoreline, people stand next to the thick mattress pads, intently watching climbers on bouldering routes marked by chalky neon pink, black or vivid blue holds; almost no one is scrolling on phones with chalk-dusted fingers.

From Seattle Times

Once there, you can hike, bike or drive a 13-mile loop through a landscape of stacked and tumbled boulders, some fiery red, some chalky white, many so strangely striated that you may suspect they’ve been scrubbed with steel wool.

From Los Angeles Times

It will be exhibited in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo near the cathedral after restoration work on scratches and to remove a chalky residue and traces of paint.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• milky