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

Synonyms

• devilfish
• manta
• sea devil

Examples of manta ray in a Sentence

the manta ray blended in beautifully with the sandy ocean floor

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s also the option of swimming with Sailfish (thought to be the fastest fish in the sea), and manta rays, mysterious gliding giants whose wingspan can net up to 26 feet. —Nina-Sophia Miralles, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

The real draw here is the 200,000-gallon tank full of more than 100 sea creatures, including tropical fish, sharks, manta rays and even moray eels. —Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 27 Nov. 2024

Take a bucket list plunge with award-winning Coral Bay Eco Tours and swim in groups of 10 or fewer with a marine biologist and photographer guides alongside whale sharks, migratory humpback whales, and manta rays. —Chloe Sachdev, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Nov. 2024

Tala falls ill and dies at the end of Moana, but she’s set to return in the sequel in the form of a manta ray spirit. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

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