How to Pronounce Ray

To pronounce "ray", say RAY — one syllable, IPA /ɹeɪ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

ray

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/ɹeɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “ray”

"ray" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with convey and display, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: re, rey, rea, rae — easy to mix up when writing.

What does ray mean?

noun

  1. A beam of light or radiation.

    “I saw a ray of light through the clouds.”

  2. A rib-like reinforcement of bone or cartilage in a fish's fin.

verb

  1. To emit something as if in rays.
  2. To radiate as if in rays.

Hear “ray” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with ray

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

conveydisplaydismaysobriquetdisarrayallaygaydecayplayportraycachefray

Related words

radiateirradiatebeamshaftresearchlight

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "ray"?▾

"Ray" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "ray"?▾

The IPA transcription of "ray" is /ɹeɪ/.

What does "ray" mean?▾

Ray: A beam of light or radiation.

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