stingray

noun

sting·​ray ˈstiŋ-ˌrā 

: any of numerous rays (as of the family Dasyatidae) with one or more large sharp barbed dorsal spines near the base of the whiplike tail capable of inflicting severe wounds

Illustration of stingray

Examples of stingray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The tiny, car-free island brims with dense mangroves, flourishing jungles, and a turquoise sea inviting you to snorkel through networks of coral reefs and around nurse sharks, stingrays, and turtles. —Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025

Beneath the surface, angelfish shimmer and stingrays glide over kaleidoscopic reefs, while sea fans sway in the gentle current. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Visitors have the opportunity to interact with stingrays and invertebrate species, and attend educational programs that give more information on local gamefish, sharks, and sea turtles. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025

One video captured by beachgoers Annie Kremer and Connor Pelt and shared on TikTok shows the animals coming within feet of people standing in the sand, and the shark's fins poking out above the water as the massive stingray juts into view. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stingray

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

stingray

noun

sting·​ray ˈstiŋ-ˌrā 

: any of numerous rays that have one or more large sharp stinging spines near the base of the whiplike tail

Medical Definition

stingray

noun

sting·​ray

ˈstiŋ-ˌrā also -rē

: any of numerous large flat cartilaginous fishes (order Rajiformes and especially family Dasyatidae) with one or more large sharp barbed dorsal spines near the base of the whiplike tail capable of inflicting severe wounds