noun / adjective
coral
KOR-uhl/ˈkɔːrəl/
Small marine animals whose hard skeletons build reefs.
Tiny animals extend from hard cups in the branching coral.
Etymology
The name originally referred especially to red Mediterranean coral used for ornaments. In this sense, it names the hard skeleton produced by colonies of marine polyps.
In context
but he's talking about the coral that grows in the sea
More examples
- Corals grow slowly, so damaged reefs can take decades to recover.
- Many fish find shelter among coral colonies.
- Unusually warm ocean water can stress coral and cause bleaching.
Forms
coral · corals
Similar words
- stony coral
- Specifically identifies corals with solid skeletons, rather than soft corals.