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“Ray” or “Re”

ray / re are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

ray r·EY

  • nouna branch of an umbel or an umbelliform inflorescence.
  • noun(mathematics) a straight line extending from a point.
  • nounany of the stiff bony spines in the fin of a fish.
  • nouncartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside; most swim by moving the pectoral fins.
  • verbemit as rays.

re r·EY

  • nounthe syllable naming the second (supertonic) note of any major scale in solmization.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“ray”

  • Michael Musillami, Randy Brecker, Ray Drummond, Kent Hewitt, Steve Johns…
  • …Campbell, David Gilmour, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, all have used the…
  • Premier of Tasmania – Ray Groom
  • Tim Ray – Organ, Piano
  • …Herb Ellis on guitar, and Ray Brown on bass.
  • Ray Winstone as Arnold French
  • …Mark Wahlberg, with Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, and Alec…
  • …Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Curtis, Ray Charles, Howard Hughes, and Groucho
  • Ray Cooper – percussion (tracks 3,
  • Ray Sampson-Played intercounty hurling for Limerick,

“re”

  • De re metallica was the standard chemistry…
  • A standard reference for the state of mechanical…
  • Sen was re elected to the West Bengal…
  • The case Re Burley (1865) was cited to…
  • Cleophas R.E.
  • Swiss Re
  • 8' Flûte majeure RE
  • 8' Flûte majeure RE
  • Swiss Re was ranked 118th in Forbes…
  • Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd, commonly known as…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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