stingray
STING-ray · noun
English
Origin
Stingray comes straight from a combination of sting and ray, describing the fish plainly by its weapon and its shape.
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Journey
It's a compound that has stayed close to its literal meaning since it was formed — a ray that stings.
Related words
It shares its second half with other flat-bodied fish called rays, and its first half with the verb sting, describing the sharp barb on its tail.
More words
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