mealier; mealiest
1
: containing meal : farinaceous
2
: soft, dry, and friable
3
a
: covered with meal or with fine granules
b
: flecked with another color
c
d
: pallid, blanched
a mealy complexion
4

Examples of mealy in a Sentence

the mealy flesh of a pear her mealy complexion might be OK if she were a mime, but she isn't
Recent Examples on the Web Cherry tomatoes are the only variety that tends to stand up to time in the fridge without turning mushy or mealy too quickly. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2023 The peanuts were more mealy than buttery. Lesley Kennedy, CNN Underscored, 19 Aug. 2020 Our first trip to the grocery store just to buy a watermelon was thrilling, even if the fruit was mealy. Stephanie Atlan, ELLE, 19 Jan. 2023 Starchy, mealy-textured potatoes give gnocchi a lite and tender bite. Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2022 Cold temperatures kill flavor and cause tomatoes to develop a mealy texture. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2022 Canned olives won’t work in this dish — their texture is mealy and soft, and their flavor tends to be weak and watery. BostonGlobe.com, 3 Nov. 2021 Creaminess, granted by the mealy texture of russet potatoes, is important; and the outside should be taut and golden. Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Apr. 2022 Most of the larger tomatoes available in grocery stores have an insipid flavor and mealy texture. Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mealy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of mealy was in 1541

Dictionary Entries Near mealy

Cite this Entry

“Mealy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mealy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mealy

adjective
mealier; mealiest
1
: containing meal
2
: being soft, dry, and crumbly
3
: covered with fine grains or with flecks (as of color)
4

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