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
However, not all of the corals in the study responded equally well to the treatments.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
The Florida Coral Reef and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the third and largest reef ecosystems, respectively, have already seen extensive bleaching, with 90 percent of the Great Barrier Reef's coral affected in 2022.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The family pool by the beach is home to the bustling Beach Club, with a Miami-esque color palette of coral and mint, lots of seashell details, and palapa-style roofs.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2024
When water gets too warm, corals expel algae that live in their tissues and give them their vibrant colors.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coral 
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
The Florida Coral Reef and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the third and largest reef ecosystems, respectively, have already seen extensive bleaching, with 90 percent of the Great Barrier Reef's coral affected in 2022.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The family pool by the beach is home to the bustling Beach Club, with a Miami-esque color palette of coral and mint, lots of seashell details, and palapa-style roofs.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2024
When water gets too warm, corals expel algae that live in their tissues and give them their vibrant colors.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coral
Dictionary Entries Near coral
Cite this Entry
“Coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coral. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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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