Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual: Describes something or someone that is strikingly odd, bizarre, or deviates strongly from the norm.
   • Made of or easily forming flakes: Describes a material that has a layered, crumbly texture or that breaks apart into thin, small pieces.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Unconventional):
  • His flakey ideas about urban planning were never taken seriously by the committee.
  • She has a flakey sense of fashion, often wearing mismatched patterns and colors.
• Adjective (Flaky Texture):
  • The pastry was delicious but too flakey, crumbling everywhere when I tried to eat it.
  • Avoid using that flakey chalk on the blackboard; it makes too much dust.

Advanced Usage

• "to be flakey" (informal, often pejorative): Describes a person who is unreliable, eccentric, or behaves in an odd, unpredictable manner. This is a common informal extension of the "unconventional" meaning.
  • Don't depend on him to show up; he's known to be a bit flakey.
  • Her flakey behavior made it difficult to work on the project.

Variants and Related Words

• Flaky (adj): The more common spelling variant of "flakey". Both spellings are acceptable, with "flaky" being predominant.
  • Flaky pie crust.
  • A flaky personality.
• Flake (n): A small, thin piece or layer that has peeled or broken off.
  • A flake of snow.
• Flake (v): To break or come off in flakes; (informal) to fail to keep an appointment or obligation.
  • The paint is starting to flake off the wall.
  • He flaked on our meeting again.

Synonyms

• Eccentric: Unconventional and slightly strange.
• Bizarre: Very strange or unusual.
• Crumbly: Having a texture that breaks easily into small fragments.

Related Phrases

• Flake out (phrasal verb, informal): To fall asleep from exhaustion; or to fail to do something as promised.
  • After the long hike, I just flaked out on the couch.
  • She flaked out and didn't come to the party.

Adjective

1. conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
   • restaurants of bizarre design--one like a hat, another like a rabbit
   • famed for his eccentric spelling
   • a freakish combination of styles
   • his off-the-wall antics
   • the outlandish clothes of teenagers
   • outre and affected stage antics
2. made of or easily forming flakes
3. made of or resembling flakes
   • flaky soap