beam and ray share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. beam means “a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather”. ray means “a column of light (as from a beacon)”. ray is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbim/
1.n.a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
2.n.long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction
3.n.a group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation
/ˈɹeɪ/
1.n.a column of light (as from a beacon)
2.n.a branch of an umbel or an umbelliform inflorescence
3.n.(mathematics) a straight line extending from a point
| beam | ray | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbim/ | /ˈɹeɪ/ |
| Said | beem | ray |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 13 | 10 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | radio beam | beam, beam of light, light beam |