Sting ray

Ray \Ray\, n. [F. raie, L. raia. Cf. {Roach}.] (Zool.)
   (a) Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order
       Raiae, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc.
   (b) In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat,
       narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See
       {Skate}.
       [1913 Webster]

   {Bishop ray}, a yellow-spotted, long-tailed eagle ray
      ({Aetobatus narinari} syn. {Stoasodon narinari}) of the
      Southern United States and the West Indies; also called
      the {spotted eagle ray} and {white-spotted eagle ray}.

   {Butterfly ray}, a short-tailed American sting ray
      ({Pteroplatea Maclura}), having very broad pectoral fins.
      

   {Devil ray}. See {Sea Devil}.

   {Eagle ray}, any large ray of the family {Myliobatidae}, or
      {Aetobatidae}. The common European species ({Myliobatis
      aquila}) is called also {whip ray}, and {miller}.

   {Electric ray}, or {Cramp ray}, a torpedo.

   {Starry ray}, a common European skate ({Raia radiata}).

   {Sting ray}, any one of numerous species of rays of the
      family {Trygonidae} having one or more large, sharp,
      barbed dorsal spines on the whiplike tail. Called also
      {stingaree}.
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Sting \Sting\, n. [AS. sting a sting. See {Sting}, v. t.]
   1. (Zool.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially
      when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict
      a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion.
      The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The
      caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified
      dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang
      of a serpent. See Illust. of {Scorpion}.
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   2. (Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which
      secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these
      hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid
      is pressed into it.
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   3. Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the
      stings of remorse; the stings of reproach.
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            The sting of death is sin.            --1 Cor. xv.
                                                  56.
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   4. The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging;
      a wound inflicted by stinging. "The lurking serpent's
      mortal sting." --Shak.
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   5. A goad; incitement. --Shak.
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   6. The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
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   {Sting moth} (Zool.), an Australian moth ({Doratifera
      vulnerans}) whose larva is armed, at each end of the body,
      with four tubercles bearing powerful stinging organs.

   {Sting ray}. (Zool.) See under 6th {Ray}.

   {Sting winkle} (Zool.), a spinose marine univalve shell of
      the genus Murex, as the European species ({Murex
      erinaceus}). See Illust. of {Murex}.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Sting ray \Sting ray\ or Stingray \Sting"ray`\, n.
   Any one of numerous rays of the family {Dasyatidae}, syn.
   {Trygonidae}, having one or more large sharp barbed dorsal
   spines, on the whiplike tail, capable of inflicting severe
   wounds. Some species reach a large size, and some, esp., on
   the American Pacific coast, are very destructive to oysters.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]