How to Pronounce Rays

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

rays

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Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/ɹeɪz/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “rays”

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

Sounds exactly like: raise, raze, res, rase — easy to mix up when writing.

What does rays 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.

noun

  1. A marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail.

Hear “rays” 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 rays

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

gazemalaisehazeblazedazeblaseappraiseablazeraisegrazepraisecraze

Related words

radiateirradiatebeamshaftrebeams

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "rays"?▾

"Rays" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "rays"?▾

The IPA transcription of "rays" is /ɹeɪz/.

What does "rays" mean?▾

Rays: A beam of light or radiation.

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