ray
1a narrow beam of light.
a gleam or slight manifestation: a ray of hope.
a raylike line or stretch of something.
light or radiance.
a line of sight.
Physics, Optics.
any of the lines or streams in which light appears to radiate from a luminous body.
the straight line normal to the wave front in the propagation of radiant energy.
a stream of material particles all moving in the same straight line.
Mathematics.
one of a system of straight lines emanating from a point.
Also called half-line . the part of a straight line considered as originating at a point on the line and as extending in one direction from that point.
any of a system of parts radially arranged.
Zoology.
one of the branches or arms of a starfish or other radiate animal.
one of the bony or cartilaginous rods in the fin of a fish.
Botany.
one of the branches of an umbel.
(in certain composite plants) the marginal part of the flower head.
Astronomy. one of many long, bright streaks radiating from some of the large lunar craters.
a prominent upright projection from the circlet of a crown or coronet, having a pointed or ornamented termination.
to emit rays.
to issue in rays.
to send forth in rays.
to throw rays upon; irradiate.
to subject to the action of rays, as in radiotherapy.
Informal. to make a radiograph of; x-ray.
to furnish with rays or radiating lines.
Idioms about ray
get / grab some rays, Slang. to relax in the sun, especially to sunbathe.
Origin of ray
1synonym study For ray
Other words from ray
- raylike, adjective
Other definitions for ray (2 of 3)
any of numerous elasmobranch fishes, adapted for life on the sea bottom, having a flattened body and greatly enlarged pectoral fins with the gills on the undersides.
Origin of ray
2Other definitions for Ray (3 of 3)
John, 1627?–1705, English naturalist.
Man [man], /mæn/, 1890–1976, U.S. painter and photographer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ray in a sentence
The SunSprite has a UV sensor, which warns you when the rays get intense enough to cause sunburn.
Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder With This New Tracker | DailyBurn | November 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAccording to recent studies, 80 percent of skin aging is a result of UV rays.
Studies revealed that exposure to harmful UV rays could cause wrinkles and other signs of aging, as well as skin cancer.
Luqman explained that they represented the sun shining down on Earth, facets mimicking rays of light.
Fighting Back With Faith: Inside the Yezidis’ Iraqi Temple | Michael Luongo | August 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAll of these instruments orbit Earth, beyond the atmosphere that blocks X-rays and most ultraviolet light.
Still a-shiver at dawn, I saddled up and loped for the crest of the nearest divide to get the benefit of the first sun-rays.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairThe rays of the ascending sun were bright upon it: and the superb palace of the Spanish kings shone in its fullest splendour.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterHe was a good Eastern scholar, but the dull rays of a small oil lamp were not helpful in a task always difficult to English eyes.
The Red Year | Louis TracyWe passed several large sting-rays asleep on the surface of the sea, which our people ineffectually endeavoured to harpoon.
And as she spread her fingers five little rosy rays came out of each sleeve.
Honey-Bee | Anatole France
British Dictionary definitions for ray (1 of 5)
/ (reɪ) /
a narrow beam of light; gleam
a slight indication, esp of something anticipated or hoped for: a ray of solace
maths a straight line extending from a point
a thin beam of electromagnetic radiation or particles
any of the bony or cartilaginous spines of the fin of a fish that form the support for the soft part of the fin
any of the arms or branches of a starfish or other radiate animal
astronomy any of a number of bright streaks that radiate from the youngest lunar craters, such as Tycho; they are composed of crater ejecta not yet darkened, and extend considerable distances
botany any strand of tissue that runs radially through the vascular tissue of some higher plants: See medullary ray
(of an object) to emit (light) in rays or (of light) to issue in the form of rays
(intr) (of lines, etc) to extend in rays or on radiating paths
(tr) to adorn (an ornament, etc) with rays or radiating lines
Origin of ray
1British Dictionary definitions for ray (2 of 5)
/ (reɪ) /
any of various marine selachian fishes typically having a flattened body, greatly enlarged winglike pectoral fins, gills on the undersurface of the fins, and a long whiplike tail. They constitute the orders Torpediniformes (electric rays) and Rajiformes
Origin of ray
2British Dictionary definitions for ray (3 of 5)
/ (reɪ) /
music (in tonic sol-fa) the second degree of any major scale; supertonic
Origin of ray
3British Dictionary definitions for Ray (4 of 5)
/ (reɪ) /
Cape Ray a promontory in SW Newfoundland, Canada
British Dictionary definitions for Ray (5 of 5)
/ (reɪ) /
John . 1627–1705, English naturalist. He originated natural botanical classification and the division of flowering plants into monocotyledons and dicotyledons
Man, real name Emmanuel Rudnitsky . 1890–1976, US surrealist photographer
Satyajit (ˈsætjədʒɪt). 1921–92, Indian film director, noted for his Apu trilogy (1955–59)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for ray
[ rā ]
A thin line or narrow beam of light or other radiation.
A geometric figure consisting of the part of a line that is on one side of a point on the line.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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