stingray

/ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/

//ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ// noun

"stingray" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“stingray” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,778 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#31,778
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of various large, venomous rays, of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes, having a barbed, whiplike tail.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

stingray vs stingy
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for stingray
PropertyValue
Headwordstingray
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#31,778
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “stingray” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). stingray lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for stingray is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,778 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for stingray, with forms such as "sitngray", "sstingray", and "stignray". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "stingy", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From sting + ray. The correct English form is stingray, spelled S-T-I-N-G-R-A-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of various large, venomous rays, of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes, having a barbed, whiplike tail.
  2. 2
    A device that simulates a cell tower, used to intercept cell phone communications.

Etymology

From sting + ray.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sitngray,sstingray,stignray,stingary,stinggray,stingrayy,stingrray,stingrya,stinngray,stinrgay,stnigray,sttingray,tsingray

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of stingray - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

sitngray2sstingray1stignray2stingary2stinggray1stingrayy1stingrray1stingrya2
Edit distance from "stingray"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "stingray"?
"stingray" is spelled S-T-I-N-G-R-A-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/.
What does "stingray" mean?
As a noun, "stingray" means: Any of various large, venomous rays, of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes, having a barbed, whiplike tail.
What words are commonly confused with "stingray"?
"stingray" is commonly confused with "stingy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "stingray"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stingray" is /ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "stingray"?
From sting + ray. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “stingray”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-I-N-G-R-A-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈstɪŋˌɹeɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “stingy” - see the side-by-side comparison. stingray vs stingy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list