Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A rocklike deposit consisting of the calcareous skeletons secreted by various anthozoans. Coral deposits often accumulate to form reefs or islands in warm seas.
- n. Any of numerous chiefly colonial marine polyps of the class Anthozoa that secrete such calcareous skeletons.
- n. The red-orange, pinkish, or white deposits secreted by corals of the genus Corallium, used to make jewelry and ornaments.
- n. An object made of this material.
- n. A deep or strong pink to moderate red or reddish orange.
- n. 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.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A hard substance made of the limestone skeletons of marine polyps.
- n. A colony of marine polyps.
- n. (colour) A somewhat yellowish pink colour, the colour of red coral.
- adj. Made of coral.
- adj. Having the yellowish pink colour of coral.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. The hard parts or skeleton of various Anthozoa, and of a few Hydrozoa. Similar structures are also formed by some Bryozoa.
- n. The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color.
- n. A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A general term for the hard calcareous skeleton secreted by the marine cœlenterate polyps for their support and habitation (polypidom).
- n. A child's toy, consisting of a branch of smooth coral with a ring attached, and usually with the addition of small bells and a whistle.
- n. The unimpregnated roe or eggs of the lobster, which when boiled assume the appearance of coral.
- n. A fleshy-leafed crassulaceous house-plant, Rochea coccinea, native of South Africa, bearing bright-scarlet flowers.
- n.
- Made of coral; consisting of coral; coralline: as, a coral ornament; a coral reef.
- Making coral; coralligenous: as, a coral polyp.
- Containing coral; coraled; coralliferous: as, a coral grove.
- Resembling coral; especially, of the color of commercial coral; pinkish-red; red: specifically, in heraldry, used of that color when described in blazoning a nobleman's escutcheon according to the system of precious stones. See blazon, n.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. marine colonial polyp characterized by a calcareous skeleton; masses in a variety of shapes often forming reefs
- adj. of a strong pink to yellowish-pink color
- n. a variable color averaging a deep pink
- n. the hard stony skeleton of a Mediterranean coral that has a delicate red or pink color and is used for jewelry
- n. unfertilized lobster roe; reddens in cooking; used as garnish or to color sauces
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Examples
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_coral stone_, which grows like clustered trees spreading its branches on all sides as is done by real _coral_, to which this stone bears so strong resemblance that it deceives many who are not very skilful respecting the growth and nature of coral.
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It is clear that climate change will alter many aspects of what we know as coral reefs; what is less clear is exactly how, or what the results will be.
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Over time, these layers accumulate and grow into what we call coral reefs.
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And along most of that border, there's what they call coral fencing.
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If someone embellishes this death with three pages of description of coral, is not that Literature?
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Oct. 16: "Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef" A recent discovery of geometry in coral reefs is looked at through crochet to honor an ecosystem harmed by pollution and climate change.
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The skirts come in coral, black and taupe and are full and to the ankle.
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Disease-Hunting Scientist: Dr. Laurie Richardson and black-band disease in coral
Disease-Hunting Scientist: Dr. Laurie Richardson and black-band disease in coral
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Rare 3 rows Natural angel skin coral beads necklace
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Since heuchera is sometimes called coral bells, how about Fairie Bells?
ruzuzu commented on the word coral
I like how different these definitions are:
"The unfertilized eggs of a female lobster, which turn a reddish color when cooked."
-- from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
"The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color."
-- from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
"The unimpregnated roe or eggs of the lobster, which when boiled assume the appearance of coral."
--from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
February 22, 2018
chained_bear commented on the word coral
Usage/historical notes on aloe wood and myrobolan.
November 28, 2017
chained_bear commented on the word coral
No, it's supposed to say teh. And... hte. And eth.
(Not really. Thanks.)
October 1, 2008
reesetee commented on the word coral
c_b..."the."
October 1, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word coral
Continuing notes on the zooxanthellae page... "The coral itself produces waste in the form of carbon dioxide, nitrates, and phosphates, all of which help the algae to grow. That tight waste-recycling chain is one of the primary reasons coral reefs are able to support such a dense and diverse population of creatures, despite residing in tropical waters, which are generally nutrient-poor. They are the cities of the sea."
—Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map (New York: Penguin, 2006), 7
October 1, 2008
jennarenn commented on the word coral
I really wish that I didn't object to coral jewelry; it's so pretty!
August 31, 2007