manta
[ man-tuh; Spanish mahn-tah ]
/ ˈmæn tə; Spanish ˈmɑn tɑ /
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noun, plural man·tas [man-tuhz; Spanish mahn-tahs]. /ˈmæn təz; Spanish ˈmɑn tɑs/.
(in Spain and Spanish America) a cloak or wrap.
a type of blanket or cloth used on a horse or mule.
Military. a movable shelter formerly used to protect besiegers, as when attacking a fortress.
Also called man·ta ray [man-tuh-rey], /ˈmæn tə ˌreɪ/, dev·il ray [dev-uhl rey]: /ˈdɛv əl ˌreɪ/: devilfish. Ichthyology. any of several tropical rays of the small family Mobulidae, especially of the genus Manta, measuring from 2 to 24 feet (0.6 to 7.3 meters) across, including the pectoral fins.
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Origin of manta
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Spanish, from Provençal: literally, “blanket”; see mantle
Words nearby manta
manstealing, mansuetude, Mansur, Mansûra, Mansur, al-, manta, Manta Bay, man-tailored, mantapa, Mantaro, manteau
Definition for manta (2 of 2)
Manta
[ mahn-tah, -tuh ]
/ ˈmɑn tɑ, -tə /
noun
a seaport in W Ecuador, on Manta Bay.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for manta
British Dictionary definitions for manta
manta
/ (ˈmæntə, Spanish ˈmanta) /
noun
Also called: manta ray, devilfish, devil ray any large ray (fish) of the family Mobulidae, having very wide winglike pectoral fins and feeding on plankton
a rough cotton cloth made in Spain and Spanish America
a piece of this used as a blanket or shawl
another word for mantelet (def. 2)
Word Origin for manta
Spanish: cloak, from Vulgar Latin; see mantle. The manta ray is so called because it is caught in a trap resembling a blanket
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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