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
Then, every two weeks, the biologist checks on the coral to make sure algae don’t infiltrate the frame, hindering their growth.
—
Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Charlotte Seid Soft corals produce diterpenoids, chemicals that could be used to treat human disease.
—Paul McClure 13, New Atlas, 13 June 2025
Right now, every shade—white, butter yellow, soft coral, and pale blue—is 25 percent off.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2025
Spend the day in a national park that’s 99 percent water and explore the 30 species of coral in its reefs, then hop on that 1 percent of land to explore the historical Fort Jefferson.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for coral
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Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Charlotte Seid Soft corals produce diterpenoids, chemicals that could be used to treat human disease.
—Paul McClure 13, New Atlas, 13 June 2025
Right now, every shade—white, butter yellow, soft coral, and pale blue—is 25 percent off.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2025
Spend the day in a national park that’s 99 percent water and explore the 30 species of coral in its reefs, then hop on that 1 percent of land to explore the historical Fort Jefferson.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 11 June 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 Jul. 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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