ray gun
Americannoun
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a gun that can fire bursts of usually destructive or lethal rays.
a science fiction novel whose hero has a ray gun made of gold.
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a child's futuristic toy gun that emits sparks, whirring noises, etc.
noun
Etymology
Origin of ray gun
First recorded in 1930–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s a ray gun that transforms its targets into babies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
We entered a nearby conference room with a boardroom table, where I used handheld controllers to pick up 3D objects like a toy ray gun and a bottle of Champagne.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 1, 2023
I waited on the couch with the moms, encouraging her through the mirror to stay strong as the stylist annihilated her curls with what looked like a ray gun.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2022
It’s his crystal-powered ray gun that transforms Johnny into a dragon, and turns Drac and his circle of monster dads into humans.
From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2022
“But that landing on the giant ray gun wasn’t as soft as it might’ve appeared. I’m going to head over to the pool for a soak in the hot tub.”
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
