atoll
[ at-awl, -ol, -ohl, uh-tawl, uh-tol, uh-tohl ]
/ ˈæt ɔl, -ɒl, -oʊl, əˈtɔl, əˈtɒl, əˈtoʊl /
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noun
a ring-shaped coral reef or a string of closely spaced small coral islands, enclosing or nearly enclosing a shallow lagoon.
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Origin of atoll
First recorded in 1615–25; earlier atollon, from French: a word used in early descriptions of the Maldive Island atolls; said to be Divehi (Indo-Aryan language of the Maldives) atoḷu
Words nearby atoll
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for atoll
British Dictionary definitions for atoll
atoll
/ (ˈætɒl, əˈtɒl) /
noun
a circular coral reef or string of coral islands surrounding a lagoon
Word Origin for atoll
C17: from atollon, native name in the Maldive Islands
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for atoll
atoll
[ ăt′ôl′, ā′tôl′ ]
A coral island or series of coral islands forming a ring that nearly or entirely encloses a shallow lagoon. Atolls are surrounded by deep ocean water and range in diameter from about 1 km (0.62 mi) to over 100 km (62 mi). They are especially common in the western and central Pacific Ocean and are believed to form along the fringes of underwater volcanoes. Compare barrier reef fringing reef.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for atoll
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.