First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
coral
noun cor·al \ˈkȯr-əl, ˈkär-\
: a hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons of small creatures
: an orange pink color
Full Definition of CORAL
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
— cor·al·loid \-ə-ˌlȯid\ adjective
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Origin of CORAL
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin corallium, from Greek korallion
Other Invertebrates (Except Insects) Terms
CORALLOID Defined for Kids
1coral
noun cor·al \ˈkȯr-əl\
Definition of CORAL for Kids
1
: a tiny soft-bodied animal that typically lives within a stony skeleton grouped in large colonies and that is related to the jellyfish
2
: a piece of stony material consisting of the skeletons of corals
3
: a colony of corals coral reef
4
: a dark pink
2coral
adjective
Definition of CORAL for Kids
1
: made of coral <a coral reef>
2
: of a dark pink color
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