1. A column of light (as from a beacon)
   "A ray of light from the lighthouse cut through the fog";
   - beam, beam of light, light beam, ray of light, shaft, shaft of light, irradiation
    
2. A group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation
   "The electron beam in a cathode ray tube creates the image on old TV screens";
   - beam, electron beam
    
3. (mathematics) a straight line extending from a point
   "The geometry problem involved calculating the angle between two rays"
    
4. A branch of an umbel or an umbelliform inflorescence
   "Each ray of the Queen Anne's lace flower head bore tiny white blossoms"
    
5. Cartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside; most swim by moving the pectoral fins
   "Manta rays can grow to enormous sizes"
    
6. Any of the stiff bony spines in the fin of a fish
   "The dorsal fin of the fish was supported by several rays"
    
7. The syllable naming the second (supertonic) note of any major scale in solmization
   "ray follows doh in the solfege system";
   - re

1. Emit as rays
   "That tower rays a laser beam for miles across the sky"
    
2. Extend or spread outward from a centre or focus or inward towards a centre
   "spokes ray from the hub of the wheel";
   - radiate
    
3. Expose to radiation
   "They rayed the medical equipment for sterilization";
   - irradiate

Sounds like: razors, raise

Derived forms: rayed, raying, rays

Type of: elasmobranch, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic wave, emit, extend, give off, give out, go, lead, light, nonparticulate radiation, pass, pedicel, pedicle, process, run, selachian, solfa syllable, spine, treat, vector, visible light, visible radiation

Part of: fin

Encyclopedia: Ray, North Dakota