coral

noun

cor·​al ˈkȯr-əl 

ˈkär-

1

a

: the calcareous or horny skeletal deposit produced by anthozoan or rarely hydrozoan polyps

especially : a richly red precious coral secreted by a gorgonian (genus Corallium)

b

: a polyp or polyp colony together with its membranes and skeleton

2

: a piece of coral and especially of red coral

3

a

: a bright reddish ovary (as of a lobster or scallop)

b

: a deep pink

coral adjective

coralloid

ˈkȯr-ə-ˌlȯid 

ˈkär-

adjective

Examples of coral in a Sentence

brightly colored fishes swimming among the coral

Recent Examples on the Web

Tourists have inadvertently introduced invasive species to places like the Galapagos Islands, snorkelers and divers have damaged coral, including in the Great Barrier Reef, and hotels are commonly built atop natural habitat. —Benji Jones, Vox, 4 Dec. 2024

Earlier land reclamation efforts attracted the ire of environmentalists worried about the impact on Monaco’s marine life, which today includes 60 species of coral. —Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024

With deep dives into stones like peridot and coral, jewelry history, designer interviews, panel discussions and even virtual museum tours, you’l be spoilt for choice, so grab a blanket, curl up on the sofa and dive in. —Kate Matthams, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024

Around the world, there are efforts tackling various pieces of the puzzle, like breeding coral for greater heat resistance, or combining coral and oysters with artificial reefs, or designing low-carbon concrete that makes building these structures less environmentally damaging. —Saqib Rahim, WIRED, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin corallium, from Greek korallion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing coral

• brain coral
• coral bells
• coral reef
• coral snake
• elkhorn coral
• fire coral
• red coral
• staghorn coral

Kids Definition

coral

noun

cor·​al ˈkȯr-əl 

ˈkär-

1

a

: the stony or horny deposit that is composed of the skeletons of various polyps

especially : a richly red coral used in jewelry

b

: a polyp or polyp colony together with its membranes and skeleton

2

: a deep pink

coral adjective