coral
the hard, variously colored, calcareous skeleton secreted by certain marine polyps.
such skeletons collectively, forming reefs, islands, etc.
the solitary or colonial polyp that secretes this calcareous skeleton.
a reddish yellow; light yellowish red; pinkish yellow.
the unimpregnated roe or eggs of the lobster that when boiled take on the color of red coral.
something made of coral, as an ornament, piece of jewelry, or a child's toy.
made of coral: a coral reef; coral ornamentation.
making coral: a coral polyp.
resembling coral, especially in color; yellowish-red.
Origin of coral
1Other words from coral
- cor·al·like, adjective
Words Nearby coral
Other definitions for Coral (2 of 2)
a female given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use coral in a sentence
Cason is now retired from the Foreign Service and is the mayor of coral Gables, Florida.
coral reefs are in decline, coastal dead zones are on the rise, and marine life is dying.
‘Mission Blue’ Warning: The Ocean Is Not Too Big to Fail | Sylvia A. Earle | August 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor as long as anyone could remember, Adam Winfield of Cape coral, Florida, wanted to join the U.S. military.
‘Kill Team’: The Documentary the Army Doesn’t Want You to See | Andrew Romano | July 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBig British bookmaker coral has suspended betting on Kate announcing she is pregnant again before the end of this month.
The Reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985, with two-thirds of the loss occurring after 1998.
Australia Wants to Open the Great Barrier Reef to Dumping | Kirsten Alexander | June 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The birds that build them swallow a certain kind of glutinous weed growing on the coral rocks.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton WadeBetween these two ranges of islands we only obtained one cast of the lead which gave us thirty-three fathoms on a coral bottom.
All the islands are low and wooded, and surrounded by a coral reef of small extent.
I could observe groups and clusters of coloured coral and madrepore-stone, whose magnificence challenges all description.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferBoth the islets are surrounded by coral reefs, of small extent.
British Dictionary definitions for coral
/ (ˈkɒrəl) /
any marine mostly colonial coelenterate of the class Anthozoa having a calcareous, horny, or soft skeleton: See also stony coral, sea fan
the calcareous or horny material forming the skeleton of certain of these animals
(as modifier): a coral reef See also red coral
a rocklike aggregation of certain of these animals or their skeletons, forming an island or reef
(as modifier): a coral island
an object made of coral, esp a piece of jewellery
(as modifier): a coral necklace
a deep-pink to yellowish-pink colour
(as adjective): coral lipstick
the roe of a lobster or crab, which becomes pink when cooked
Origin of coral
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for coral
[ kôr′əl ]
Any of numerous small, sedentary cnidarians (coelenterates) of the class Anthozoa. Corals often form massive colonies in shallow sea water and secrete a cup-shaped skeleton of calcium carbonate, which they can retreat into when in danger. Corals are related to the sea anemones and have stinging tentacles around the mouth opening that are used to catch prey.
A hard, stony substance consisting of the skeletons of these animals. It is typically white, pink, or reddish and can form large reefs that support an abundance of ocean fish.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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