Ray: meaning, definitions and examples

💡

Add to dictionary

ray

[ reɪ ]

^{Context #1}

light

A narrow beam of light.

Synonyms

beam, gleam, shaft

Examples of usage

The sun's rays shone through the window.
She felt the warmth of the rays on her skin.

^{Context #2}

marine biology

A flat-bodied marine fish with a whip-like tail, found in warm seas.

Synonyms

skate, stingray

Examples of usage

The manta ray gracefully glided through the water.
Divers were amazed by the size of the ray swimming below them.

^{Context #3}

mathematics

A line that extends indefinitely in one direction from a point.

Synonyms

line, vector

Examples of usage

The ray starts at point A and goes on forever in one direction.
In geometry, a ray has one endpoint and extends indefinitely.

Translations

Translations of the word "ray" in other languages:

🇵🇹 raio

feixe
raio de luz

🇮🇳 किरण

🇩🇪 Strahl

🇮🇩 sinar

🇺🇦 промінь

🇵🇱 promień

🇯🇵 光線 (こうせん)

🇫🇷 rayon

🇪🇸 rayo

🇹🇷 ışın

🇰🇷 광선

🇸🇦 شعاع

🇨🇿 paprsek

🇸🇰 lúč

🇨🇳 光线 (guāngxiàn)

🇸🇮 žarek

🇮🇸 geisli

🇰🇿 сәуле

🇬🇪 სხივი

🇦🇿 şüa

🇲🇽 rayo

Word origin

The word 'ray' has a rich history, dating back to Middle English and Old French. It originally referred to a beam of light or a spoke of a wheel. Over time, its meanings expanded to include a flat-bodied fish and a mathematical concept. The modern usage of 'ray' reflects its diverse origins and continues to be used in various contexts.