flaggy
UK: ˈflæɡi | US: ˈflæɡi
adj. resembling or characteristic of a flag (e.g., flaggy fabric)
adj. (geology) tending to split into layers like flagstones
adj. (archaic) drooping or limp, like a flag
The word "flaggy" combines "flag," which originally referred to a piece of cloth (Old Norse "flögr") or a flat stone slab (Old Norse "flaga"), with the suffix "-y," meaning "having the quality of." Over time, "flag" evolved to denote banners or symbols, but "flaggy" retained its literal sense of resembling flags (either fabric or stone). The geological usage emerged from the layered, slab-like appearance of certain rocks.
The flaggy fabric fluttered weakly in the breeze.
The cliffside revealed flaggy layers of sedimentary rock.
His flaggy posture suggested exhaustion.
The artist used flaggy strokes to mimic a tattered banner.
Flaggy shale is common in this region.