The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - scaleэn.

1) flake, imbrication; scurf, dandruff; Technical squama, plate, scute or scutum, lamina, lamella: Scrape the scales off the fish with a sharp knife before gutting it. 2) coating, encrustation or incrustation, crust, overlay, layer, cake, caking, tartar, plaque: The hardness of the water causes the scale inside the kettle.