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Definition of manta ray

manta ray

Plural:manta rays
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• noun

1

A large marine cartilaginous fish of the genus Mobula, native to temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans worldwide, characterized by a diamond-shaped body, wing-like pectoral fins, and horn-like cephalic lobes.

Example

"Divers travel to tropical reefs hoping to swim alongside a giant manta ray as it glides gracefully through the water."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for manta ray

Word Nuance & Usage

Manta rays are frequently confused with stingrays; however, manta rays are typically much larger, filter-feed on plankton, and completely lack a venomous tail stinger.

• Nearby Words

manspreader
manspreading
manta
manta ray
mantaro
mantel
mantelpiece

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Manta ray. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/manta-ray
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