flake

A flake is a light and flattened thing that is produced naturally or artificially. Flakes come in different forms.

A cornflake is made from corn and is usually eaten for breakfast.

corn flake

I had a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast this morning.

a bowl of corn flakes

When snow falls during cold weather, the snow is in the form of a snowflake.

snowflakes

When old paint peels off of the side of a building, it’s in in the form of a flake. The paint on this building is flaking off.

flaking paint

When the word "flaky" is used as an adjective, this description can be good or bad.

A cake can be flaky. A flaky cake is not too dense or hard. Instead, it’s light and airy. This is a good thing.

light and flaky cake

A person can be flaky, but this is not a compliment. A flaky person is someone whose behavior is unusual, and that person might also be likely to lack commitment to certain goals or be forgetful of commitments.

He’s kind of a flake.

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July 10, 2019