ray gun

noun

1. 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.

2. a child's futuristic toy gun that emits sparks, whirring noises, etc.

ray gun

noun

1. (in science fiction) a gun that emits rays to paralyse, stun, or destroy

Word History and Origins

Origin of ray gun¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

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.

Read more on Seattle Times

“We’ve always joked, If Iowa doesn’t have the caucuses, are we Nebraska?” said Mike Draper, the owner of Ray Gun, a quirky T-shirt store in Des Moines frequently visited by candidates and their staffs.

Read more on New York Times

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.

Read more on Washington Post

It isn’t necessary to illustrate the lyric “Put your ray gun to my head,” from the song that lends the film its title, with a clip of a 1950s sci-fi monster getting its head blown off.

Read more on Washington Post

He renamed his studio The Ray Gun Theater in 1962 and held performances there on weekends.

Read more on New York Times