English · Nature & Environment
coral
/ˈkɒr.əl/
[/ˈkɒr.əl/]
reef-building sea life
Intermediatenoun
Definition
A hard, often colourful substance formed from the skeletons of tiny marine animals that build reefs.
Example
Bright coral teemed with fish, but rising sea temperatures had bleached parts of the reef.
Bright coral teemed with fish, but rising sea temperatures had bleached parts of the reef.
Etymology
From Old French 'coral', from Latin 'corallium', from Greek.
How & Where It’s Used
Central to discussions of reef conservation and ocean warming.