moray

¹

[mawr-ey, mohr-ey, maw-rey, moh-]

noun

plural

morays 

1. any of numerous chiefly tropical eels of the family Muraenidae, having porelike gill openings and no pectoral fins.

Moray

²

[mur-ee]

noun

1. a historic county in NE Scotland, on Moray Firth.

Moray

¹

/ ˈmʌrɪ /

noun

1. Former name: Elgin. a council area and historical county of NE Scotland: part of Grampian region from 1975 to 1996: mainly hilly, with the Cairngorm mountains in the S. Administrative centre: Elgin. Pop: 87 460 (2003 est). Area: 2238 sq km (874 sq miles)

Moray

²

/ ˈmʌrɪ /

noun

1. 1st Earl of, title of James Stuart. ?1531–70, regent of Scotland (1567–70) following the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, his half-sister. He defeated Mary and Bothwell at Langside (1568); assassinated by a follower of Mary

moray

³

/ mɒˈreɪ /

noun

1. any voracious marine coastal eel of the family Muraenidae, esp Muraena helena, marked with brilliant patterns and colours

Word History and Origins

Origin of Moray¹

1615–25, < Portuguese moréia < Latin mūraena < Greek mȳ́raina lamprey

Word History and Origins

Origin of Moray¹

C17: from Portuguese moréia, from Latin mūrēna, from Greek muraina

Example Sentences

California moray eels live in coral reefs from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to southern Baja California in Mexico, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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John Pogonoski, an ichthyologist in Australia, wasn’t about to be fooled by any moray eels.

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While many coral reef residents, such as groupers and moray eels, work together when hunting for their mutual benefit, the trumpetfish’s sneaky shadowing of larger fish seems to be solely for its own benefit.

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The fish are the first known species of moray to inhabit these formations, known as anchialine caves.

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Like other moray eels, he had two sets of jaws and an abundance of teeth, which he used to rip into the fish fillets doled out for dinner.

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