-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
: 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
Examples of stingray in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For an amphibious soul, the height of joy comes with underwater tracking: Foster taught himself to see tracks of mollusks in the sand atop the back of a stingray, or an octopus's predation marks on a shell.
—Barbara J. King, NPR, 13 May 2024
Steve was killed by a stingray in 2006 while filming for TV.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Still, according to the researchers, verifying that the rock actually depicts a stingray may not be possible.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
And yet nature has found a way, the aquarium’s owner said: The stingray is pregnant with as many as four pups and could give birth in the next two weeks.
—Ben Finley, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Feb. 2024
Youngsters will love interacting with horseshoe crabs and starfish in the Tide Pool Touch Tank, petting the baby stingrays or even feeding the adult nurse sharks.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Speculation about the stingray has racked up more than 12 million views for a TikToker.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
For a brief moment, some wondered aloud whether Charlotte, a round stingray about the size of a serving platter, might have been knocked up by a shark.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024
The surprise pregnancy of Charlotte, a stingray living in a tank without any male rays, has captivated people across the world and stirred a sudden interest in parthenogenesis, a scientific term that essentially means virgin birth.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stingray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1624, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near stingray
Cite this Entry
“Stingray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stingray. Accessed 24 May. 2024.
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
More from Merriam-Webster on stingray
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stingray
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share