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cor·al

(kôrəl, kŏr-)

a. A rocklike deposit consisting of the calcareous skeletons secreted by various marine invertebrates, chiefly anthozoans. Coral deposits often accumulate to form reefs or islands in warm seas.

b. A polyp or colony of polyps of any of the numerous anthozoans that secrete a hard or flexible skeleton, especially the reef-building hard corals.

c. A polyp or colony of polyps of any of various hydrozoans that secrete hard skeletons, such as the fire corals.

d. The hard skeleton of various corals, especially of red corals of the genus Corallium, used to make jewelry and ornaments.

e. An object made of this material.

2. A deep or strong pink to moderate red or reddish orange.

3. The unfertilized eggs of a female lobster, which turn a reddish color when cooked.

adj.

Of a deep or strong pink to moderate red or reddish orange.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin corallium, from Greek korallion.]

(click for a larger image)

coral

top: brain coral

Platygyra daedalea

bottom: gorgonian coral

Paramuricea clavata

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coral

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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