coronal

1 of 2

noun

cor·​o·​nal ˈkȯr-ə-nᵊl How to pronounce coronal (audio)
ˈkär-
variants or less commonly coronel
: a circlet for the head usually implying rank or dignity

coronal

2 of 2

adjective

co·​ro·​nal ˈkȯr-ə-nᵊl How to pronounce coronal (audio)
ˈkär-;
kə-ˈrō- How to pronounce coronal (audio)
1
a
: lying in the direction of the coronal suture
b
: of or relating to the frontal plane that passes through the long axis of the body
2
: of or relating to a corona or crown

Examples of coronal in a Sentence

Noun a Renaissance portrait of a nobel woman of Florence wearing a bejeweled coronal
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The dramatic coronal headpiece was meant to evoke the Virgin Mary. New York Times, 8 May 2018
Adjective
Taken together, the magnetic reconnection process, coronal holes and jetlets allow the solar wind to rise through the corona and escape the sun's gravity to form the fast solar wind. Rebecca Boyle, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024 Understanding the sun’s activity carries much more serious consequences than simply enjoying a variety of coronal displays. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 18 Jan. 2024 Parker was able to detect flows of the same highly energetic particles in the plasma that flows out of coronal holes. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 19 June 2023 In March 2022, Chitta and his colleagues focused one of Solar Orbiter’s ultraviolet cameras upon a coronal hole situated near the sun’s south pole. Rahul Rao, Popular Science, 24 Aug. 2023 Solar wind from coronal holes in the sun flow towards Earth and have a magnetic reaction that causes the northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, according to NASA. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 12 July 2023 Solar winds and bubbles of coronal plasma emerge as bursts of brass, with little flares of light registering as sweeps of harp. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 12 May 2023 And when the rotation of the Sun on its axis points a coronal hole toward Earth, we can get bombarded by a speedier wind than normal. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022 But despite their friendly appearance, the coronal holes are a bit foreboding, as this sort of solar activity has the potential to affect telecommunications and other crucial services on Earth. Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coronal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English coronal, borrowed from Anglo-French coronel, corinal, probably borrowed from Medieval Latin corōnāle, noun derivative from neuter of Latin corōnālis "of a wreath or garland" — more at coronal entry 2

Adjective

Middle English coronale, borrowed from Medieval Latin corōnālis "of the forehead or crown of the head," going back to Latin, "of a wreath or garland," from corōna "garland worn on the head as a mark of honor or emblem of majesty, halo around a celestial body" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at crown entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of coronal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near coronal

Cite this Entry

“Coronal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

coronal

adjective
1
: of, relating to, or being a corona
2
: lying in the direction of the coronal suture
3
: of or relating to the frontal plane that passes through the long axis of the body
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