GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 5 definitions 

  1.       

    ‖Cephaloptera , n. [NL., fr. Gr. κεφαλή head + πτερόν wing.] (Zool.) One of the generic names of the gigantic ray (Manta birostris) of the family Mobulidae, known as devilfish, sea devil, manta and manta ray.  It is common on the coasts of South Carolina, Florida, and farther south, and is sometimes found as far north as New York Bay.  Some of them grow to enormous size, becoming twenty feet of more across the body, and weighing more than a ton.
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  2.       

    Devilfish , n. (Zool.) (a) A huge ray (Manta birostris or  Cephaloptera vampyrus) of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic coasts. Several other related species take the same name. See Cephaloptera. (b) A large cephalopod, especially the very large species of Octopus and Architeuthis. See Octopus. (c) The gray whale of the Pacific coast. See Gray whale. (d) The goosefish or angler (Lophius), and other allied fishes. See Angler.
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  3.       

    Gray , a. [Compar. Grayer ; superl. Grayest.] [OE. gray, grey, AS. grǣg, grēg; akin to D. graauw, OHG. grāo, G. grau, Dan. graa, Sw. grå, Icel.  grār.] [Written also grey.]
    1. any color of neutral hue between white and black; white mixed with black, as the color of pepper and salt, or of ashes, or of hair whitened by age; sometimes, a dark mixed color; as, the soft gray eye of a dove.
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      These gray and dun colors may be also produced by mixing whites and blacks.
      Sir I. Newton.

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    2. Gray-haired; gray-headed; of a gray color; hoary.
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    3. Old; mature; as, gray experience.  Ames.
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    4. gloomy; dismal.
      PJC
      Gray antimony (Min.), stibnite. -- Gray buck (Zool.), the chickara. -- Gray cobalt (Min.), smaltite. -- Gray copper  (Min.), tetrahedrite. -- Gray duck (Zool.), the gadwall; also applied to the female mallard. -- Gray falcon (Zool.) the peregrine falcon. -- Gray Friar. See Franciscan, and Friar. -- Gray hen (Zool.), the female of the blackcock or black grouse. See Heath grouse. -- Gray mill or Gray millet (Bot.), a name of several plants of the genus Lithospermum; gromwell. -- Gray mullet (Zool.) any one of the numerous species of the genus Mugil, or family Mugilidæ, found both in the Old World and America; as the European species (Mugilidæ capito, and Mugilidæ auratus), the American striped mullet (Mugilidæ albula), and the white or silver mullet (Mugilidæ Braziliensis). See Mullet. -- Gray owl (Zool.),  the European tawny or brown owl (Syrnium aluco). The great gray owl (Ulula cinerea) inhabits arctic America. -- Gray parrot (Zool.), an African parrot (Psittacus erithacus), very commonly domesticated, and noted for its aptness in learning to talk.  Also called jako. -- Gray pike. (Zool.) See Sauger. --  Gray snapper (Zool.), a Florida fish; the sea lawyer. See Snapper. -- Gray snipe (Zool.), the dowitcher in winter plumage. -- Gray whale (Zool.), a rather large and swift whale of the northern Pacific (Eschrichtius robustus, formerly Rhachianectes glaucus), having short jaws and no dorsal fin.  It grows to a length of 50 feet (someimes 60 feet).  It was formerly taken in large numbers in the bays of California, and is now rare; -- called also grayback, devilfish, and hardhead.  It lives up to 50 or 60 years and adults weigh from 20 to 40 tons.
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  4.       

    Gray whale (Zool.), a rather large and swift baleen whale of the northern Pacific (Eschrichtius robustus, formerly Rhachianectes glaucus), having short jaws and no dorsal fin; -- called also grayback, devilfish, and hardhead.  It grows to a length of 50 feet (sometimes 60 feet).  It was formerly taken in large numbers in the bays of California, and is now rare.  It lives up to 50 or 60 years and adults weigh from 20 to 40 tons.
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  5.       

    manta ray n. An extremely large pelagic tropical ray of the family Mobulidae, that feeds on plankton and small fishes.  It is usually harmless but its size (up to 20 feet across and up to a ton in weight) make it dangerous if harpooned.  Called also manta, sea devil and devilfish.  See also Cephaloptera and Sea devil.
    WordNet 1.5
    +PJC

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