ray

[ rey ]

/ reɪ /

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See synonyms for ray on Thesaurus.com

Definition of ray

noun

a 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.

ray flower.
one of the branches of an umbel.
vascular ray.
(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.

verb (used without object)

to emit rays.

to issue in rays.

verb (used with object)

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.

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Idioms about ray

get / grab some rays, Slang. to relax in the sun, especially to sunbathe.

Origin of ray

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English rai, raie, raye, from Old French rai “beam of light; spoke of a wheel,” from Latin radius radius

synonym study for ray

1. See gleam.

OTHER WORDS FROM ray

raylike, adjective

Other definitions for ray (2 of 3)

ray²

[ rey ]

/ reɪ /

noun

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

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English rai(e), raye, (from Old French rai ) or directly from Latin raia

Other definitions for ray (3 of 3)

Ray

[ rey for 1, 2, 4-6; rahy for 3 ]

/ reɪ for 1, 2, 4-6; raɪ for 3 /

noun

John, 1627?–1705, English naturalist.

Man

[man], /mæn/, 1890–1976, U.S. painter and photographer.

Sat·ya·jit

[suht-yuh-jit], /ˈsʌt yə dʒɪt/, 1921–92, Indian film director.

Cape, a promontory at the SW extremity of Newfoundland, Canada, on the Cabot Strait, at the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

a male given name, form of Raymond.

Also Raye . a female given name, form of Rachel.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

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|DAILY BEAST
According to recent studies, 80 percent of skin aging is a result of UV rays.
Is the Facekini the Future of Beachwear?|Justin Jones|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Studies revealed that exposure to harmful UV rays could cause wrinkles and other signs of aging, as well as skin cancer.
Is the Facekini the Future of Beachwear?|Justin Jones|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

All of these instruments orbit Earth, beyond the atmosphere that blocks X-rays and most ultraviolet light.
The Supermassive Black Hole Smokescreen|Matthew R. Francis|June 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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. Sinclair
The 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 Porter
He 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 Tracy
We passed several large sting-rays asleep on the surface of the sea, which our people ineffectually endeavoured to harpoon.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
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)

ray¹

/ (reɪ) /

noun

a narrow beam of light; gleam

a slight indication, esp of something anticipated or hoped fora 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 plantsSee medullary ray

verb

(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

Word Origin for ray

C14: from Old French rai, from Latin radius spoke, radius

British Dictionary definitions for ray (2 of 5)

ray²

/ (reɪ) /

noun

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

Word Origin for ray

C14: from Old French raie, from Latin raia

British Dictionary definitions for ray (3 of 5)

ray³

/ (reɪ) /

noun

music (in tonic sol-fa) the second degree of any major scale; supertonic

Word Origin for ray

C14: see gamut

British Dictionary definitions for ray (4 of 5)

Ray¹

/ (reɪ) /

noun

Cape Ray a promontory in SW Newfoundland, Canada

British Dictionary definitions for ray (5 of 5)

Ray²

/ (reɪ) /

noun

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

Medical definitions for ray (1 of 2)

ray

[ rā ]

A narrow beam of light or other electromagnetic radiation.

A narrow beam of particles, as a cathode.

A structure or part having the form of a straight line extending from a point.

Medical definitions for ray (2 of 2)

Ray

John 1627-1705

English naturalist who was the first to use anatomy to distinguish between specific plants and animals. He established the species as the basic classification of living things.

Scientific definitions for ray

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.

See ray flower.

ray

Definition of ray

Idioms about ray

Origin of ray

synonym study for ray

OTHER WORDS FROM ray

Other definitions for ray (2 of 3)

Origin of ray

Other definitions for ray (3 of 3)

Words related to ray

How to use ray in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ray (1 of 5)

Word Origin for ray

British Dictionary definitions for ray (2 of 5)

Word Origin for ray

British Dictionary definitions for ray (3 of 5)

Word Origin for ray

British Dictionary definitions for ray (4 of 5)

British Dictionary definitions for ray (5 of 5)

Medical definitions for ray (1 of 2)

Medical definitions for ray (2 of 2)

Scientific definitions for ray