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 of manta ray

• ray
• sea devil
• manta

Examples of manta ray in a Sentence

the manta ray blended in beautifully with the sandy ocean floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, the reef is once again teeming with hundreds of fish species, bull sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, and humpback whales—fueling an eco-tourism industry that now brings in almost $8 million a year. —Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026

Keep an eye out for sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026

The affected zone also sits along a critical migration corridor for reef manta rays, one of the archipelago’s biggest tourism draws. —ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026

In the News Chronicle, published seven months after the rescue, Cox said the raft was initially attacked by a stinging octopus, and that the lost man, severed by a shark, was finished off by a manta ray. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for manta ray

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

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