Ray
Pronunciation
- RP enPR: rÄ, IPA: /ɹeɪ/
- Rhymes: -eɪ
Origin 1
Via Middle English, from Old French rai, from Latin radius ("staff, stake, spoke").
Full definition of ray
Noun
ray
(plural rays)- A beam of light or radiation.I saw a ray of light through the clouds.
- (zoology) A rib-like reinforcement of bone or cartilage in a fish's fin.
- (zoology) One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
- (botany) 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.
- (obsolete) Sight; perception; vision; from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen.
- Alexander PopeAll eyes direct their rays
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze. - (mathematics) A line extending indefinitely in one direction from a point.
- (colloquial) A tiny amount.Unfortunately he didn't have a ray of hope.
Derived terms
Verb
- (transitive) To emit something as if in rays.
- (intransitive) To radiate as if in rays
Origin 2
Old French raie, from Latin raia.
Origin 3
Shortened from array.
Verb
Origin 4
Noun
ray
(plural rays)- The name of the letter ⟨/⟩, one of two which represent the r sound in Pitman shorthand.
Related terms
- ar, in Latin and the name of the other Pitman r
Origin 5
Noun
ray
(uncountable)- (obsolete) Array; order; arrangement; dress.
- SpenserAnd spoiling all her gears and goodly ray.
Origin 6
Alternative forms.