manta

noun

man·​ta ˈman-tə 

1

: a square piece of cloth or blanket used in southwestern U.S. and Latin America usually as a cloak or shawl

2

[American Spanish, from Spanish; from its shape] : manta ray

Synonyms

• devilfish
• manta ray
• sea devil

Examples of manta in a Sentence

a manta glided along the sea bottom

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, their family-first manta is more important than ever. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 June 2024

Behind them were women in brown vicuña mantas and bowlers. —Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023

Rogen and John Cena play the duo of warthog Bebop and rhino Rocksteady, Rose Byrne is toothy Australian gator Leatherhead, Post Malone cameos as silky-singing manta Ray Fillet and Paul Rudd is the scene-stealing Mondo Gecko. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 31 July 2023

Just offshore, the warm waters near Espiritu Santo Island (a UNESCO World Heritage site) teem with playful sea lions, manta and mobula rays, giant squid, dolphins, and Baja’s most famous underwater resident: the whale shark. —Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 22 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, alteration of manto cloak, from Late Latin mantus, probably back-formation from Latin mantellum mantle

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing manta

• manta ray