coral

noun

cor·​al ˈkȯr-əl How to pronounce coral (audio)
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 adjective

Examples of coral in a Sentence

brightly colored fishes swimming among the coral
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
When the ocean warms, the algae give corals their vibrant hues are pushed out, leaving them as white skeletons. Karen Hua, CBS News, 19 May 2025 For example, his photo Afternoon Cruise, Nantucket, below, hangs in his kitchen, sparking a palette of blues and their complementary corals. Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025 The experiments were conducted using one species of Hawaiian coral. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025 You were surrounded by fish and coral all the time. Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for coral

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coral. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

coral

noun
cor·​al ˈkȯr-əl How to pronounce coral (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on coral

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!