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
Hu explained that the coral’s skeleton comprises millions of calcium carbonate particles called sclerites.
—
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
The 2023 heatwave was up to 4 times more severe than any other heatwave on record, and thus the sheer magnitude of the heat stress and its effects on the corals was shocking.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Without them, corals are ghostly white and bleached.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
The corals, which have been dominant reef builders in Florida for the past 10,000 years, were already critically endangered due to a host of factors including disease, pollution, hurricanes and ocean warming.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
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Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
The 2023 heatwave was up to 4 times more severe than any other heatwave on record, and thus the sheer magnitude of the heat stress and its effects on the corals was shocking.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Without them, corals are ghostly white and bleached.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
The corals, which have been dominant reef builders in Florida for the past 10,000 years, were already critically endangered due to a host of factors including disease, pollution, hurricanes and ocean warming.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
Cite this Entry
“Coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coral. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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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