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.
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 ) See also red coral
a coral reef
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
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.
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English coral(l), from Latin corāll(i)um, from Greek korā́llion “red coral,” equivalent to korall- (from Semitic; compare Hebrew gōrāl “pebble”) + -ion diminutive suffix
Coral is a marine polyp with a calcareous skeleton that lives in colonies. You probably last saw coral while scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. That or while looking at the coral necklaces in the beach shop. Though coral looks like stone with little holes, it is actually a kind of sea polyp with a stony, hole filled skeleton. Sometimes the word coral refers to the skeleton itself. Because of the red color of Mediterranean coral, coral is also an adjective meaning pink-red. Shakespeare wrote: “My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more “red than her lips' red.” Coral can also be a noun for unfertilized lobster eggs that turn red when cooking.
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Few countries are more exposed to climate change than Tuvalu, a chain of coral atolls reckoning with acidifying oceans, tropical disease and rising seas.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
It is associated with warmer seawater and, in some places, reduced cloud cover, both of which are bad news for global coral reefs.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
It is believed to be the worst single diving accident in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, a popular tourist destination because of its string of coral islands.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
An international team of scientists has uncovered new details about coral ecosystems, showing that each coral species hosts its own unique community of microbes.
From Science Daily • May 8, 2026
She jabs the tiny brush into the coral bottle, wipes the excess under the rim, and expertly strokes it on her big toe, correcting the line with her thumb.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
