manta ray

noun

: devil ray
especially : a ray (Manta birostris) that averages 22 feet (6.7 meters) in width with a weight reaching 3000 pounds (1361 kilograms)

Illustration of manta ray

Illustration of manta ray

Example Sentences

the manta ray blended in beautifully with the sandy ocean floor
Recent Examples on the Web That’s because the watercraft’s unique look, as its name may have given away, is based on the manta ray. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2023 Some of the coolness is quite cool — giant flying manta ray taxis! Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 The Big Island is quite unique and remarkable for manta ray sightings. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023 And a team at Evologics, based in Berlin, came up with the BOSS manta ray. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2021 Trash falls from the surface of the water and into a manta ray’s mouth—an image captured by a diver off the coast of Bali. National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2023 The reef manta ray in this photograph, according to a Manta Trust database, is a juvenile male. Terence Monmaney, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Sep. 2022 Boeing's unmanned three-engine X-48B resembles a manta ray with a 20-foot wingspan. Discover Magazine, 31 May 2012 And researchers have documented Raja Ampat’s Wayag Lagoon as a key nursery for the reef manta ray. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'manta ray.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manta ray was in 1951

Dictionary Entries Near manta ray

Cite this Entry

“Manta ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manta%20ray. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

manta ray

noun
man·​ta ray
ˈmant-ə-
: any of several extremely large rays that are widely distributed in warm seas and have enlarged pectoral fins resembling wings

called also devilfish, manta

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