ray Definition

ray¹
noun

1. A narrow beam of light or radioactive particles.

Thesaurus: beam, flash, glimmer, spark, shaft, flicker, glint.
2. Any of a set of lines fanning out from a central point.
3. A small amount of or the beginnings of something, especially hope or understanding.

Thesaurus: hint, trace, speck, bit, scintilla.
4. Any of the set of spines which support a fish's fin.

verb rayed, raying

tr & intr
1. To radiate.
2. To provide something with rays.

Etymology: 14c: from French rai, from Latin radius rod.

---

ray²
noun

1. Any of numerous cartilaginous fish, related to the sharks, with a flattened body, large pectoral fins extending from the head to the base of the tail, and both eyes on the upper surface, eg stingray, manta ray, sawfish.

Etymology: 14c: from French raie, from Latin raia.

---

ray³
re
noun

1. music.
In sol-fa notation: the second note of the major scale.

Etymology: 14c: see sol-fa.