Stingray
/ˈstɪŋˌreɪ/noun
A flat marine fish with a barbed tail spine used for defense.
Did you know?The name is simply descriptive English: the first part comes from the animal’s sting, and the second from its older name ray, from French raie and Latin raia, meaning a kind of flat fish.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
stingan
“to pierce, stab, thrust”
Middle English
ME
stinge
“a sting or sharp prick”
Middle English
ME
rey
“a ray, skate, or similar flat fish”
Old French
OF
raie
“a ray or skate”
Latin
Lat
raia
“a ray or skate”
Modern English
English
stingray
“a ray with a barbed stinging tail”