flake

Flake is a noun and a verb in English with several related senses centered on thin, flat pieces and fragmentation. As a noun, a flake is a small, thin piece that has separated from a larger whole, such as a flake of paint, a piece of ice from freezing water, or a piece of mineral that has broken into thin plates. As a verb, to flake means to come apart in such pieces or to fail to follow through on a commitment.

Snowflake: A well-known sense refers to a snowflake, one of the ice-crystal forms that fall from the atmosphere. Snowflakes are typically hexagonal, though their shapes vary with atmospheric conditions, and no two are identical. The term is also used culturally to denote individuality.

Mineral and material context: In geology and materials science, many minerals have a flaky habit, meaning they occur as flat, plate-like crystals. Mica and graphite are classic examples. Flakes are also produced intentionally in pigments, coatings, or structural materials; paint can peel into flakes, and metal or ceramic processing can yield flake particles used in reinforced composites.

Food and consumer products: In food contexts, flakes appear as cereals (corn flakes) and dehydrated ingredients (potato flakes). In some regional dialects, a fillet of firm white fish is colloquially referred to as a flake.

Slang and idioms: In informal speech, flake means a person who is unreliable or who cancels plans. To flake on someone is to fail to show up or withdraw without notice; the term conveys unpredictability rather than a physical action.

Etymology and usage: The core sense ties to thin, flat fragments produced by breaking or peeling, extended to referents like snow crystals and personal behavior.