Moray
/mɔːˈreɪ/noun
A type of eel with a long, snake-like body and powerful jaws.
Did you know?The English word came through French from Latin, and its deeper roots likely connect to Greek words for a kind of eel or lamprey, showing how ancient people grouped these eerie sea creatures by their biting, serpent-like bodies.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μύραινα (mýraina)
“A kind of eel or moray eel.”
Latin
Latin
muraena
“A moray eel.”
Old French
Old French
morey / morée
“A moray eel.”
Middle English
English
morey
“A moray eel.”
Modern English
English
moray
“A moray eel.”