ray

Meanings

Noun

• A beam of light or radiation.
• A rib-like reinforcement of bone or cartilage in a fish's fin.
• One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
• A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal florets of a compound flower, such as an aster or a sunflower; one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower cluster; radius.
• Sight; perception; vision; from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen.
• A line extending indefinitely in one direction from a point.
• A tiny amount.
• A marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail.
• Array; order; arrangement; dress.
• The letter ⟨/⟩, one of two which represent the r sound in Pitman shorthand.
• Alternative of re

Verb

• To emit something as if in rays.
• To radiate as if in rays.
• To arrange.
• To dress, array (someone).
• To stain or soil; to defile.

Related

Narrower meaning words

• death ray
• gamma ray
• manta ray
• stingray
• X-ray

Origin

• Via Middle English, borrowed from Old French rai, from Latin radius ("staff, stake, spoke"). radius.
• From Middle English raye, rayȝe, from Old French raie, from Latin raia, of uncertain origin. Compare Middle English reyhhe, reihe, reȝge, from Old English reohhe.
• Shortened from array.
• From its sound, by analogy with the letters chay, jay, gay, kay, which it resembles graphically.
• Alternative forms.