coral

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coral

hard, rocklike structures formed by marine coelenterates; yellowish red

Not to be confused with:

choral – sung by or adapted for a chorus or choir

chorale – harmonized hymn; a chorus or choir

corral – an enclosure for livestock

cor·al

(kôr′əl, kŏr′-)

a. A rocklike deposit consisting of the calcareous skeletons secreted by various marine invertebrates, chiefly anthozoans. Coral deposits often accumulate to form reefs or islands in warm seas.

b. A polyp or colony of polyps of any of the numerous anthozoans that secrete a hard or flexible skeleton, especially the reef-building hard corals.

c. A polyp or colony of polyps of any of various hydrozoans that secrete hard skeletons, such as the fire corals.

d. The hard skeleton of various corals, especially of red corals of the genus Corallium, used to make jewelry and ornaments.

e. An object made of this material.

2. A deep or strong pink to moderate red or reddish orange.

3. The unfertilized eggs of a female lobster, which turn a reddish color when cooked.

adj.

Of a deep or strong pink to moderate red or reddish orange.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin corallium, from Greek korallion.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

coral

(ˈkɒrəl)

1. (Animals) any marine mostly colonial coelenterate of the class Anthozoa having a calcareous, horny, or soft skeleton. See also stony coral, sea fan

2. (Zoology)

a. the calcareous or horny material forming the skeleton of certain of these animals

b. (as modifier): a coral reef. See also red coral

3. (Animals)

a. a rocklike aggregation of certain of these animals or their skeletons, forming an island or reef

b. (as modifier): a coral island.

4. (Jewellery)

a. an object made of coral, esp a piece of jewellery

b. (as modifier): a coral necklace.

5. (Colours)

a. a deep-pink to yellowish-pink colour

b. (as adjective): coral lipstick.

6. (Cookery) the roe of a lobster or crab, which becomes pink when cooked

[C14: from Old French, from Latin corāllium, from Greek korallion, probably of Semitic origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cor•al

(ˈkɔr əl, ˈkɒr-)

n.

1. the hard, variously colored, calcareous skeleton secreted by certain marine polyps.

2. such skeletons collectively, forming reefs, islands, etc.

3. any of several solitary or colonial anthozoan marine polyps that secrete this calcareous skeleton.

4. a color ranging from reddish to pinkish yellow.

5. the roe of the lobster, resembling red coral when cooked.

6. something made of coral.

adj.

7. made of coral.

8. making coral: a coral polyp.

9. resembling coral, esp. in color.

[1275–1325; Middle English coral(l) < Latin corāll(i)um < Greek korallion red coral, perhaps < Semitic; compare Hebrew gōrāl pebble]

cor·al

(kôr′əl)

1. Any of numerous small, sedentary animals that often form massive colonies in shallow sea water. They secrete a cup-shaped skeleton of calcium carbonate, which they can retreat into when in danger. Corals are cnidarians and have stinging tentacles radiating around their mouth opening. The tentacles are used in catching prey.

2. A hard, stony substance consisting of the skeletons of these animals. It is typically white, pink, or reddish and can form large reefs that support an abundance of ocean fish.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	coral - a variable color averaging a deep pink pink - a light shade of red
	2.	coral - the hard stony skeleton of a Mediterranean coral that has a delicate red or pink color and is used for jewelry precious coral, red coral opaque gem - a gemstone that is opaque
	3.	coral - unfertilized lobster roe; reddens in cooking; used as garnish or to color sauces lobster - flesh of a lobster hard roe, roe - fish eggs or egg-filled ovary; having a grainy texture
	4.	coral - marine colonial polyp characterized by a calcareous skeleton; masses in a variety of shapes often forming reefs actinozoan, anthozoan - sessile marine coelenterates including solitary and colonial polyps; the medusoid phase is entirely suppressed gorgonian, gorgonian coral - corals having a horny or calcareous branching skeleton madrepore, madriporian coral, stony coral - corals having calcareous skeletons aggregations of which form reefs and islands
Adj.	1.	coral - of a strong pink to yellowish-pink color chromatic - being or having or characterized by hue

Translations

لوْن المَـرجـانمَرْجـانمَرْجَان

korálkorálová barva

koralkoral-koralrød

Koralle Korallenriff korallenrot

κοράλι

coral de coral

koralli

corail

koralj

korallkorallpiros

kórallrauîbleikur litur

corallo corallina corallino

珊瑚

산호

koralaskoraliniskoralinis rifaskoralo spalvakoralų

koralliskoraļļkrāsakoraļļu-

коралл коралловый коралловый риф

koralová farba

korall

หินปะการัง

mercanmercan rengimercandan

san hô

珊瑚珊瑚色珊瑚虫

coral

[ˈkɒrəl]

A. N → coral m

B. CPD → de coral, coralino
coral island N → isla f coralina
coral necklace N → collar m de coral
coral reef N → arrecife m de coral
Coral Sea N → Mar m del Coral

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

coral

[ˈkɒrəl]

n → corail m

modif [necklace] → de corailcoral reef n → récif m coralien

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

coral

→ Koralle f; coral necklace → Korallenkette f

(= colour) → Korallenrot nt

coral

in cpds → Korallen-;

coral-coloured

adj → korallenfarbig

coral island

n → Koralleninsel f

coral reef

n → Korallenriff nt

Coral Sea

n → Korallenmeer nt

coral snake

n → Korallennatter f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

coral

[ˈkɒr/əl]

1. n → corallo

2. adj (island) → corallino/a
coral necklace → collana di corallo

coral

(ˈkorəl) noun, adjective

1. (of) a hard substance of various colours, made up of skeletons of a kind of tiny sea animal. a necklace made of coral; a coral reef.

2. (of) an orange-pink colour.

coral

→ مَرْجَان korál koral Koralle κοράλι coral koralli corail koralj corallo 珊瑚 산호 koraal korall koral coral коралл korall หินปะการัง mercan san hô 珊瑚

coral

n coral m

References in classic literature ?

The duchess told the duke what had happened, and he was much amused by it; and she, in pursuance of her design of making merry and diverting herself with Don Quixote, despatched the page who had played the part of Dulcinea in the negotiations for her disenchantment (which Sancho Panza in the cares of government had forgotten all about) to Teresa Panza his wife with her husband's letter and another from herself, and also a great string of fine coral beads as a present.

View in context

The notion generally received is, that the coral found in such quantities at the bottom of the sea might communicate this colour to the water: an account merely chimerical.

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They knew what dire fate was certain if ever the sea-washed coral rock gripped the Arangi's keel.

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These are coral islands, slowly raised, but continuous, created by the daily work of polypi.

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The coral necklace was a very handsome one which had belonged to the Story Girl's mother.

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"I do hate her ways," she exclaimed, "but I'm sorry I let her know we 'spected her; and so to make up, I gave her that little piece of broken coral I keep in my bead purse; you know the one?"

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And then, our plans made, we rowed ashore over the banks of living coral and pulled our boat up the white beach of coral sand.

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He may even now--if I may use the phrase--be wandering on some plesiosaurus-haunted Oolitic coral reef, or beside the lonely saline lakes of the Triassic Age.

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The same waves wash the moles of the new-built Californian towns, but yesterday planted by the recentest race of men, and lave the faded but still gorgeous skirts of Asiatic lands, older than Abraham; while all between float milky-ways of coral isles, and low-lying, endless, unknown Archipelagoes, and impenetrable Japans.

View in context

Haidee was reclining upon soft downy cushions, covered with blue satin spotted with silver; her head, supported by one of her exquisitely moulded arms, rested on the divan immediately behind her, while the other was employed in adjusting to her lips the coral tube of a rich narghile, through whose flexible pipe she drew the smoke fragrant by its passage through perfumed water.

View in context

The scent of the spice islands was in his nostrils as he had known it on warm, breathless nights at sea, or he beat up against the southeast trades through long tropic days, sinking palm-tufted coral islets in the turquoise sea behind and lifting palm-tufted coral islets in the turquoise sea ahead.

View in context

I have myself published separate volumes on the 'Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs;' on the 'Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of the Beagle;' and on the 'Geology of South America.' The sixth volume of the 'Geological Transactions' contains two papers of mine on the Erratic Boulders and Volcanic Phenomena of South America.