HOW TO PRONOUNCE
ray
/ɹeɪ/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does ray mean?
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.
More meanings (26)
noun
- 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.
- A line extending indefinitely in one direction from a point.
- Any of the superorder Batoidea of marine fish with flat bodies, large wing-like fins, and whip-like tails.
- The letter ⟨/⟩, one of two which represent the r sound in Pitman shorthand.
- Alternative form of re.
- (obsolete) Sight; perception; vision; from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen.
- (obsolete) Array; order; arrangement; dress.
verb
- To emit something as if in rays.
- To radiate as if in rays.
- To expose to radiation.
- (obsolete) To arrange.
- (archaic) To dress, array (someone).
- (obsolete) To stain or soil; to defile.
proper noun
- A surname transferred from the nickname.
- A diminutive of the male given names Raymond, Rayane, and Rayan, also used as a formal given name.
- A diminutive of the female given name Rachel, more often spelled Rae.
- A census-designated place in Coosa County, Alabama.
- A ghost town in Pinal County, Arizona.
- An unincorporated community in Fremont Township, Steuben County, Indiana and Branch County, Michigan.
- A township in Macomb County, Michigan.
- An unincorporated community in Koochiching County, Minnesota.
- A minor city in Williams County, North Dakota.
- A river in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England, which joins the River Cherwell.
- A river in north Wiltshire, England, which joins the Thames.
- A city near Tehran, Iran.
- (historical) A region and satrapy in ancient Iran located between the Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges and the Dasht-e Kavir desert; Rhagiana.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ɹeɪ/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
When they got home, Ray took a box from his overcoat pocket and slipped it into Thea’s hand as he said goodnight.
Tenderly the child fastened the drooping stem, and placed it where the one faint ray of sunlight stole into the dreary room.
More book examples (3)
Newman was going to leave him abruptly, when a ray of entreaty appeared to disengage itself from the old man’s misty gaze.
Yes, in that moment, a ray of real belief, a ray of heavenly love, had penetrated the darkness of her heathen soul!
And in the next ray of moonlight that broke the dark clouds, he saw that he was mounted on a monster crab!