reef

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating size
2
: reduction in sail area by reefing

reef

2 of 3

verb

reefed; reefing; reefs

transitive verb

1
: to reduce the area of (a sail) by rolling or folding a portion
2
: to lower or bring inboard (a spar) wholly or partially

intransitive verb

: to reduce a sail by taking in a reef
reefable adjective

reef

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a chain of rocks or coral or a ridge of sand at or near the surface of water compare atoll, barrier reef
b
: a hazardous obstruction
2
: lode, vein
reefy adjective

Examples of reef in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
These abyssal reefs, which may be thousands of years old, are teeming with sharks, squid and a variety of other creatures. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2023 The good reefs had 80 percent coral cover, really vibrant and colorful and bright. Catrin Einhorn Thea Traff, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023 And if air temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius, reefs will decline by 99 percent. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023 But scientists say seaweed removal is a low-cost, nontechnical method that can significantly improve reef health. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct. 2023 The reef site will be one of 25 artificial reefs managed by the DMF. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2023 On the Caribbean island of Bonaire, visitors not only witness the beauty of the reefs but can also help improve their health. Elaine Glusac, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023 Over the past two decades, China has occupied a number of obscure reefs and atolls far from its shoreline across the South China Sea, building up military installations, including runways and ports. Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 4 Oct. 2023 The impact of land-dwelling rats on islands is so profound that even nearby reef fish can feel it after the rodents alter the flow of nutrients into the ocean. Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reef.' 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 (1)

Middle English riff, from Old Norse rif; probably akin to Old Norse rīfa to rend — more at rive

Noun (2)

Dutch rif, from Middle Dutch, from Old Norse, literally rib; akin to Old English ribb rib — more at rib

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1670, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near reef

Cite this Entry

“Reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reef. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

reef

1 of 3 noun
1
: a part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating size
2
: the reduction in sail area made by reefing

reef

2 of 3 verb
: to reduce the area of (a sail) by rolling or folding a portion

reef

3 of 3 noun
: a chain of rocks or coral or a ridge of sand at or near the surface of water
Etymology

Noun

Middle English riff "reef of a sail"; of Norse origin

Noun

from Dutch rif "reef of rocks or sand"; of Scandinavian origin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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