coral

noun

cor·al ˈkȯr-əl

ˈkär-

: 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)

: a polyp or polyp colony together with its membranes and skeleton

: a piece of coral and especially of red coral

: a bright reddish ovary (as of a lobster or scallop)

: a deep pink

coral adjective

coralloid

ˈkȯr-ə-ˌlȯid

ˈkär-

adjective

Examples of coral in a Sentence

brightly colored fishes swimming among the coral

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Mistral, the yacht's open-air Mediterranean restaurant, features coral, mandarin, and blush tones, with Ginori porcelain and glassware on every table. — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Graduate student Aidan Healy, who works in the water several times a week, explained that the young corals require protection after being placed on the reef. — Joan Murray, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Inside, three bedrooms and two bathrooms are distributed across two levels showcasing a crisp white palette accented with vibrant pops of orange and coral. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2026 But sometimes, some corals on a reef bleach while others don’t, and in other cases corals under heat stress die without expelling their algae. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coral

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin corallium, from Greek korallion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of coral was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

corail

coral

coral bead

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coral. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

coral

noun

cor·al ˈkȯr-əl

ˈkär-

: the stony or horny deposit that is composed of the skeletons of various polyps

especially : a richly red coral used in jewelry

: a polyp or polyp colony together with its membranes and skeleton

: a deep pink

coral adjective

coral

noun

Examples of coral in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

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coral

noun

Examples of coral in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing coral

Rhymes for coral

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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