I. ˈräs noun
( -es )
Etymology: Arabic ra's literally, head
1. : cape , headland
2. : an Ethiopian prince or feudal overlord ; also : the ruler of an Ethiopian province
3. : a local Italian Fascist boss originally acting as a despot in his area
II. ˈrəs, ˈräs noun
also ra·sa -sə
( plural rasas )
Etymology: native name in India
: a Manipuri dance drama enacting the legend of the deity Krishna and his consort Radha
III. ˈras noun
( -es )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: probably from ra (I)t + s arcoma; from the initial isolation of such genes in rat sarcomas
: any of a family of genes that undergo mutation to oncogenes and especially to some commonly linked to human cancers (as of the colon, lung, and pancreas)
ras oncogenes
ras proteins