Ray

UK: 'ray', 'Ray': /reɪ/

US: /reɪ/

US: 'ray': (rā); 'Ray': (rā for 1, 2, 4, 5; rī for 3)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Ray / reɪ/ noun

1. Cape Ray ⇒ a promontory in SW Newfoundland, Canada

Ray / reɪ/ noun

1. John. 1627–1705, English naturalist. He originated natural botanical classification and the division of flowering plants into monocotyledons and dicotyledons
2. Man, real name Emmanuel Rudnitsky. 1890–1976, US surrealist photographer
3. Satyajit ( ˈsætjədʒɪt ). 1921–92, Indian film director, noted for his Apu trilogy (1955–59)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ray¹ /reɪ/   n. [countable]

1. a narrow beam of light.
2. a slight sign or indication:
   a ray of hope.
3. Optics, Physics, Optics
   • any of the lines or streams in which light appears to radiate from a bright body.
   • a stream of particles all moving in the same straight line, as x-rays.

ray² /reɪ/   n. 

[countable]
1. Fish a kind of fish having a flattened body and greatly enlarged front fins with the gills on the undersides.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ray¹  (rā), n. 

1. a narrow beam of light.
2. a gleam or slight manifestation:
   a ray of hope.
3. a raylike line or stretch of something.
4. light or radiance.
5. a line of sight.
6. Optics, Physics, Optics [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.
7. Mathematics
   • Mathematics one of a system of straight lines emanating from a point.
   • Mathematics 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.
8. any of a system of parts radially arranged.
9. 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.
10. [Bot.]
    • Botany See ray flower. 
    • Botany one of the branches of an umbel.
    • Botany See vascular ray. 
    • Botany (in certain composite plants) the marginal part of the flower head.
11. Astronomy one of many long, bright streaks radiating from some of the large lunar craters.
12. a prominent upright projection from the circlet of a crown or coronet, having a pointed or ornamented termination.
13. Idioms get or grab some rays, [Slang.] to relax in the sun, esp. to sunbathe.

v.i. 

14. to emit rays.
15. to issue in rays.

v.t. 

16. to send forth in rays.
17. to throw rays upon;
    irradiate.
18. Medicine to subject to the action of rays, as in radiotherapy.
19. Medicine, Informal Terms [Informal.] to make a radiograph of;
    x-ray.
20. to furnish with rays or radiating lines.

• Latin radius radius
• Old French rai
• Middle English raie, raye 1300–50

ray′like′, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See gleam. 

ray²  (rā), n. 

1. Fish 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.

• Latin raia
• Old French rai)
• Middle English raye (1275–1325

Ray  (rā for 1, 2, 4, 5; rī for 3), n. 

1. Biographical John, 1627?–1705, English naturalist.
Man  (man), 1890–1976, U.S. painter and photographer. Sat•ya•jit  (sut′yə jit), 1921–92, Indian film director.
2. a male given name, form of Raymond. 
3. Also, Raye. a female given name, form of Rachel. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ray / reɪ/ noun

1. a narrow beam of light; gleam
2. a slight indication, esp of something anticipated or hoped for: a ray of solace
3. a straight line extending from a point
4. a thin beam of electromagnetic radiation or particles
5. any of the bony or cartilaginous spines of the fin of a fish that form the support for the soft part of the fin
6. any of the arms or branches of a starfish or other radiate animal
7. any strand of tissue that runs radially through the vascular tissue of some higher plants

verb

1. (of an object) to emit (light) in rays or (of light) to issue in the form of rays
2. (intransitive) (of lines, etc) to extend in rays or on radiating paths
3. (transitive) to adorn (an ornament, etc) with rays or radiating lines

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French rai, from Latin radius spoke, radius

ray / reɪ/ noun

1. 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

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French raie, from Latin raia

ray / reɪ/ noun

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

Etymology: 14th Century: see gamut