mealy

[ mee-lee ]

adjective

, meal·i·er, meal·i·est.

1. having the qualities of meal; powdery; soft, dry, and crumbly:

   mealy potatoes; a mealy stone.

2. of or containing meal; farinaceous:

   baked fish with a mealy crust.

3. covered with or as if with meal or powder:

   flowers mealy with their pollen.

4. flecked as if with meal; spotty:

   horses with mealy hides.

5. pale; sallow:

   a mealy complexion.

6. mealy-mouthed.

mealy

/ ˈmiːlɪ /

adjective

1. resembling meal; powdery
2. containing or consisting of meal or grain
3. sprinkled or covered with meal or similar granules
4. (esp of horses) spotted; mottled
5. pale in complexion
6. short for mealy-mouthed

Derived Forms

• ˈmealiness, noun

Other Words From

• meali·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mealy¹

First recorded in 1525–35; meal ² + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Some dogs also demonstrated a distinct lack of “rubberiness,” with a tendency toward the mealy side, and none came close to achieving that coveted snap.

From Salon

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

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

To be honest, the Beyond Meat sausage tasted good, but a little mealy.

From Seattle Times

These slow-moving pests are covered with a mealy wax and tend to cluster in large numbers to feed, appearing as cottony masses in leaf axils and other protected areas.

From Seattle Times