ray English · revision 3905

+ English has two common words spelled ''ray'': the beam of light, from Latin radius, and the fish, from Latin raia.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /reɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|beam}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la radius}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The beam is [[inh|enm|rai]],^(Etymonline) [[bor|fro|rai|t=ray of the sun, spoke of a wheel]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|radius|t=ray, spoke, staff, rod]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) perhaps from an earlier form cognate with Welsh gwraidd “root” and possibly related to Latin rādīx “root”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) The verb is from the noun.^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) It is a doublet of [[radius]] and related to [[radiate]] and [[radio]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A beam of light from a luminous body: early 14th century in Etymonline^(Etymonline) and the OED,^(OED 1989) about 1380 in Barnhart.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was not common before the 17th century,^(Etymonline) and of the sun it usually referred to heat, while [[beam]] was preferred for light.^(Etymonline) A ray is usually a smaller amount of light than a beam, and in science a beam is a collection of parallel rays.^(Etymonline) A beam or glance of the eye is from 1531^(OED 1989) and figurative influences comparable to light from 1634.^(OED 1989) “A trace”, as in ''not a ray of hope'', is from 1773.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to radiate”, is from 1598, in Florio.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) A ''ray of sunshine'', a cheerful person, is from the late 19th century,^(Cresswell 2021) 1915 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and the science-fiction ''ray gun'' is recorded by 1931.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 14th century – a beam of light.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1531 – a glance of the eye.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1598 – verb, to radiate.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1773 – a trace.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1915 – ''ray of sunshine''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1931 – ''ray gun''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A thin line or narrow beam of light or other [[radiant]] energy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Light; [[radiance]].^(AHD)

+ # A small amount; a trace: ''a ray of hope''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In geometry, a straight line extending from a point.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Something shaped like a line spreading from a centre, such as an arm of a starfish or a ray flower.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To send out as rays; to [[emit]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To shine in rays.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[rayless]]

+ * [[raygun]]

+ * [[X-ray]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|fish}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1323|origins=la raia}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The fish is [[inh|enm|raye]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|raie]] and directly [[der|la|raia]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a word of uncertain origin.^(Barnhart 1988) De Vaan describes it as unknown but with apparent Germanic cognates (Middle Dutch rogghe, Old English reohhe), perhaps from a substrate language.^(Etymonline) The old etymology, from its resemblance to the rays of a fan, is not accepted.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A flat cartilaginous fish related to the sharks: 1323–4 in the OED and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Names for kinds of ray, such as ''eagle ray'', ''stingray'' and ''whip ray'', are from 1611 on.^(OED 1989) All skates are rays, but not all rays are called skates.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1323–4 – the fish.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1611 – names for kinds of ray.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various cartilaginous fishes with a flattened body, wide fins joined to the head and a narrow tail, such as the [[skate]] and [[stingray]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stingray]]

+ * [[manta ray]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[radius]]

+ * [[radiate]]

+ * [[radio]]

+ * [[radiant]]

+ * [[radix]]

+ * [[beam]]

+ * [[skate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Several rare or obsolete words share the spelling: ray “array”, an aphetic form of [[array]];^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) ray, a striped cloth;^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) and ray as a variant of [[re]], the second note of the scale.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}