From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcoralcor‧al1 /ˈkɒrəl $ ˈkɔː-, ˈkɑː-/ noun [uncountable] TIDCJa hard red, white, or pink substance formed from the bones of very small sea creatures, which is often used to make jewellery
Examples from the Corpus
coral• a coral necklace• Unable to resist, she decided to treat herself to one of the dresses in a shade of pale coral.• They spent $ 2 million on environmental measures, he said, and hired biologists to replant coral that would be damaged.• Fish tucked into crevices peer out, while crabs scavenge over the reef and probe soft corals for food.• These plants absorb the carbon dioxide released by the corals and so help to keep the water oxygenated.• Sunlight feeds the algae which feed the animals which feed the corals, sponges, clams, and fish.• I prefer the more austere skeletons of the corals that live frugal, ancient lives in the deep sea.• The corals feed passively on bits of organic material suspended in the water.• The tow rope sprang taut, plucking the dinghy clear as the swell broke, thundering forward on to the waiting coral.coralcoral2 adjective CCpink or reddish-orange in colourExamples from the Corpus
coral• The skirt was coral chiffon with a black velvet top.CoralCoral a company that operates betting shops in many towns in the UKOrigin coral1 (1300-1400) Old French Latin corallium, from Greek korallion