coral

noun

cor·al | \ ˈkȯr-əl

, ˈkär-\

Definition of coral

1a : 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

3a : a bright reddish ovary (as of a lobster or scallop)

b : a deep pink

Other Words from coral Example Sentences Learn More about coral

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of coral in a Sentence

brightly colored fishes swimming among the coral

Recent Examples on the Web

The Sundance award-winning film follows a team of divers, photographers and scientists on an adventure to capture why warming ocean water is causing coral reefs to vanish. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Women’s club serves meal at Ronald McDonald House," 3 July 2019 Marine landing craft got stuck on coral reefs during low tide, and the men had to slog their way to the beach under heavy gunfire. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Remains of 30 Service Members Killed in WWII Unearthed at Tarawa," 28 June 2019 Our initial findings offer both concern and hope for the future of coral reefs. — Cody Clements, The Conversation, "Biodiversity helps coral reefs thrive – and could be part of strategies to save them," 25 June 2019 The scenic route past iridescent coral reefs gives travelers a taste of what’s to come when visiting Heron Island. — Anne Farrar, National Geographic, "You can now hail an Uber to the Great Barrier Reef," 19 June 2019 Fiji is home to just over 900,000 people and is a popular tourist destination thanks to its warm climate, white sand beaches and coral reefs. — Elizabeth Llorente, Fox News, "When dream vacations turn into tragedies: Many deaths at popular resorts remain mysteries," 12 June 2019 The vessels aren’t ideal for the South China Sea, with its narrow shipping lanes hemmed in by shallow waters and coral reefs. — David Pierson, latimes.com, "Military spending is soaring in the Asia-Pacific region. Here’s why," 7 June 2019 And for good reason: the UN panel on climate change stated that the world must shift its energy usage in the next decade, or risk catastrophic events such as the endangerment of coral reefs, drought, famine, and wildfires. — Tatum Dooley, Teen Vogue, "Central Saint Martins Announces New Sustainable Fashion Program Focused on Biodesign," 5 June 2019 Supernova explosions could obliterate Earth’s ozone layer, for instance, which would wreak havoc on marine plankton and coral reefs. — Quanta Magazine, "How Nearby Stellar Explosions Could Have Killed Off Large Animals," 15 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.