coral reef
noun
a reef composed mainly of coral and other organic matter of which parts have solidified into limestone.
coral reefs
-
pluralof coral reef.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These days, hikers flock to the island’s mangrove forests and divers to its coral reefs, teeming with turtles and pufferfish.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
The actor reportedly paid $1.75 million for the property after being inspired by a scuba-diving trip to Belize’s coral reefs.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Warmer water also takes up more space, raising sea levels and bringing a greater risk of coastal flooding - while intense ocean heat can be devastating for sea habitats, such as coral reefs.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
More than 450 million years ago, long before dinosaurs appeared and before animals or plants had spread widely across dry land, crinoids were already thriving in some of Earth's earliest coral reefs.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Without access to coral reefs or productive shallow waters, and with their terrestrial birds quickly exterminated, Easter Islanders turned to constructing chicken houses for intensive poultry farming.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
