manta

¹

[ man-tuh; Spanish mahn-tah ]

noun

, plural man·tas [man, -t, uh, z, mahn, -tahs].

1. (in Spain and Spanish America) a cloak or wrap.
2. a type of blanket or cloth used on a horse or mule.
3. Military. a movable shelter formerly used to protect besiegers, as when attacking a fortress.
4. Also called man·ta ray [man, -t, uh, rey], Ichthyology. any of several tropical rays of the small family Mobulidae, especially of the genus Manta, measuring from 2 to 24 feet (0.6 to 7.3 meters) across, including the pectoral fins.

Manta

²

[ mahn-tah, -tuh ]

noun

1. a seaport in W Ecuador, on Manta Bay.

manta

/ ˈmæntə; ˈmanta /

noun

1. Also calledmanta raydevilfishdevil ray any large ray (fish) of the family Mobulidae, having very wide winglike pectoral fins and feeding on plankton
2. a rough cotton cloth made in Spain and Spanish America
3. a piece of this used as a blanket or shawl
4. another word for mantelet

Word History and Origins

Origin of manta¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Spanish, from Provençal: literally, “blanket”; mantle

Word History and Origins

Origin of manta¹

Spanish: cloak, from Vulgar Latin; see mantle. The manta ray is so called because it is caught in a trap resembling a blanket

Example Sentences

Coral reefs that some marine biologists call the Amazon of the ocean lie just offshore, home to giant clams, nurturing small fish, which in turn are prey for manta rays.

From Seattle Times

So far, erythrism has been identified in dozens of species, including reef manta rays, leopards, and European polecats.

From National Geographic

There, just up the hill from a vital coral reef and an important ecosystem for manta rays, residents worry that dumping dangerous waste into the area could create a fresh disaster.

From New York Times

He compares the ancient plate to a manta ray: a pair of thin wings of oceanic crust flanking a thick middle of continental crust.

From Science Magazine

“I have no idea if this manta had 12 others following behind it,” Pelletier says, so there may have been even more social behaviors just out of sight.

From National Geographic

Related Words

• cloth
• scarf
• stole