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
Divers and snorkelers can head to the Great Astrolabe Reef or the Somosomo Strait, famous for its technicolor soft corals and manta ray sightings.
—
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
In Ocho Rios, the vast fringing reef shelf has drop-offs on the northern side perfect for spotting diverse soft and hard corals like staghorn, sea fan and brain coral.
—Adrienne Jordan, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The porcelain crab, which measures roughly 15 millimeters long, was found living among sea-pen corals at depths of around 120 meters.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Rare gastropods and bivalves that have adapted to volcanic and hydrothermal-influenced habitats, as well as a possible new species of black coral, were also among the discoveries.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
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Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
In Ocho Rios, the vast fringing reef shelf has drop-offs on the northern side perfect for spotting diverse soft and hard corals like staghorn, sea fan and brain coral.
—Adrienne Jordan, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The porcelain crab, which measures roughly 15 millimeters long, was found living among sea-pen corals at depths of around 120 meters.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Rare gastropods and bivalves that have adapted to volcanic and hydrothermal-influenced habitats, as well as a possible new species of black coral, were also among the discoveries.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 30 Oct. 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 13 Nov. 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
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