ray Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a column of light (as from a beacon)
    shaft; ray of light; irradiation; shaft of light; beam; beam of light; light beam.
  2. noun a branch of an umbel or an umbelliform inflorescence
  3. noun (mathematics) a straight line extending from a point
  4. noun a group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation
    electron beam; beam.
  5. noun the syllable naming the second (supertonic) note of any major scale in solmization
    re.
  6. noun any of the stiff bony spines in the fin of a fish
  7. noun cartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside; most swim by moving the pectoral fins
  8. verb emit as rays
    • That tower rays a laser beam for miles across the sky
  9. verb extend or spread outward from a center or focus or inward towards a center
    radiate.
    • spokes radiate from the hub of the wheel
    • This plants radiate spines in all directions
  10. verb expose to radiation
    irradiate.
    • irradiate food

WordNet

Ray transitive verb
Etymology
An aphetic form of array; cf. Beray.
Definitions
  1. To array. Obs. Sir T. More.
  2. To mark, stain, or soil; to streak; to defile. Obs. "The fifth that did it ray." Spenser.
Ray noun
Definitions
  1. Array; order; arrangement; dress. Obs.
    And spoiling all her gears and goodly ray. Spenser.
Ray noun
Etymology
OF. rai, F. rais, fr. L. radius a beam or ray, staff, rod, spoke of a wheel. Cf. Radius.
Definitions
  1. One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of six rays.
  2. (Bot.) A radiating part of the flower or plant; the marginal florets of a compound flower, as an aster or a sunflower; one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower cluster; radius. See Radius.
  3. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the radiating spines, or cartilages, supporting the fins of fishes. (b) One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
  4. (Physics) (a) A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or reflecting point; a single element of light or heat propagated continuously; as, a solar ray; a polarized ray. (b) One of the component elements of the total radiation from a body; any definite or limited portion of the spectrum; as, the red ray; the violet ray. See Illust. under Light.
  5. Sight; perception; vision; -- from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen.
    All eyes direct their rays On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze. Pope.
  6. (Geom.) One of a system of diverging lines passing through a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions. See Half-ray.
Ray transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. OF. raier, raiier, rayer, L. radiare to irradiate. See Ray, n., and cf. Radiate.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Rayed ; present participle & verbal noun Raying
Definitions
  1. To mark with long lines; to streak. Obs. Chaucer.
  2. From Ray, n. To send forth or shoot out; to cause to shine out; as, to ray smiles. R. Thompson.
Ray transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To shine, as with rays. Mrs. Browning.
Ray noun
Etymology
F. raie, L. raia. Cf. Roach.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order Raiæ, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc. (b) In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat, narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See Skate.

Webster 1913