Related Searches
Nearby Words
Synonyms

rays

 [rey]   Origin

ray

1   [rey]
noun
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.
EXPAND
6.
Physics, Optics.
a.
any of the lines or streams in which light appears to radiate from a luminous body.
b.
the straight line normal to the wave front in the propagation of radiant energy.
c.
a stream of material particles all moving in the same straight line.
7.
Mathematics.
a.
one of a system of straight lines emanating from a point.
b.
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.
a.
one of the branches or arms of a starfish or other radiate animal.
b.
one of the bony or cartilaginous rods in the fin of a fish.
10.
Botany.
a.
ray flower.
b.
one of the branches of an umbel.
c.
vascular ray.
d.
(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.
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
13.
to emit rays.
14.
to issue in rays.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Rays is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
verb (used with object)
15.
to send forth in rays.
16.
to throw rays upon; irradiate.
17.
to subject to the action of rays, as in radiotherapy.
18.
Informal. to make a radiograph of; x-ray.
19.
to furnish with rays or radiating lines.
Idiom
20.
get/grab some rays, Slang. to relax in the sun, especially to sunbathe.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English raie, raye < Old French rai < Latin radius radius

Related forms
ray·like, adjective

Synonyms
1. See gleam.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

ray

2   [rey]
noun
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.
Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English raye (< Old French rai) < Latin raia

Ray

   [rey for 1, 2, 4, 5; rahy for 3]
noun
1.
John, 1627?–1705, English naturalist.
2.
Man  [man] , 1890–1976, U.S. painter and photographer.
3.
Sat·ya·jit  [suht-yuh-jit] , 1921–92, Indian film director.
4.
Cape, a promontory at the SW extremity of Newfoundland, Canada, on the Cabot Strait, at the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
5.
a male given name, form of Raymond.
EXPAND
6.
Also, Raye. a female given name, form of Rachel.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To rays
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

ray
"type of fish related to sharks," 1323, from Fr. raie (13c.), from L. raia, of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

Ray (rā), John. 1627-1705.

English naturalist who was the first to use anatomy to distinguish between specific plants and animals. He established the species as the basic classification of living things.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
ray   (rā)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. A thin line or narrow beam of light or other radiation.

  2. A geometric figure consisting of the part of a line that is on one side of a point on the line.

  3. See ray flower.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

rays definition


  1. n.
    sunshine. (Collegiate.) : I'm going to go out and get some rays today.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Images for rays
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT
How many words do you know? FIND OUT