Rāy1, n.
n. [O. Fr. rai, rait, rais, raiz, N. Fr. rayon, Pr. rai, raig, Sp. & Pg. rayo, It. raggio, razzo, radio, from Lat. radius, a beam or ray. See RADIAL.]
Sense 1. One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of six rays.
Sense 2. (Bot.) A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal florets of a compound flower, as an aster; one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower cluster; radius. See RADIUS.
Sense 3. (Ichth.) One of the radiating bony spines or flexible pencils forming the framework of the fins of fishes.
Sense 4. (Physics.) (a.) A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or reflecting point; a single element of light or heat propagated continuously; as, a solar ray; a polarized ray. (b.) One of the component elements of light, or colored portions of the spectrum; as, the red ray of the spectrum; the violet ray. Brewster.
Sense 5. Hence, intellectual light; perception; vision; sight; apprehension; notice.
If thy grave ray Hath any man seen, making stealthful way. Chapman.
The air sharpened his visual ray. Milton.
