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
Examples of coral in a Sentence
brightly colored fishes swimming among the coral
Recent Examples on the Web
The boutique property, named for the colorful corals that sit just offshore, features 20 oceanfront casitas, each perfectly secluded amidst lush jungle foliage that opens onto golden sands.
—
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2025
Soft corals are creatures with bendable bodies that resemble plants, according to the Coral Reef Alliance.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
The corals of Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and other tropical areas provide over $3 billion a year in benefits – from sustaining marine ecosystems to recreation, including sport fishing.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Atop the coral was a cloud of small baitfish surrounding a very pretty lionfish.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2025
Soft corals are creatures with bendable bodies that resemble plants, according to the Coral Reef Alliance.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
The corals of Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and other tropical areas provide over $3 billion a year in benefits – from sustaining marine ecosystems to recreation, including sport fishing.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Atop the coral was a cloud of small baitfish surrounding a very pretty lionfish.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
Cite this Entry
“Coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coral. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share