coral

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable) Any of many species of marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa, most of which build hard calcium carbonate skeletons and form colonies, or a colony belonging to one of those species.
2. (uncountable) A hard substance made of the skeletons of these organisms.
3. (countable) A somewhat yellowish orange-pink color; the color of red coral (Corallium rubrum) of the Mediterranean Sea, commonly used as an ornament or gem.
4. (countable, uncountable) The ovaries of a cooked lobster; so called from their color.
5. (countable, historical, uncountable) A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Made of coral.
2. (not-comparable) Having the orange-pink color of coral.

Verb

Obsolete form of corral.

Synonyms

stone

🪨

coralline

coral reef

precious coral

coral red

sponge

🧽

red coral

lagoon

mountain

⛰️

namely

paddock

pearl

rock

🪨

ruby

snagged

stockyard

sea fan

cockspur coral tree

crybabytree

coral colony

soft coral

common coral tree

coral-red

peruvian-national-flower

beryl

cnidaria

coral snake

crushed stone

diamond

emerald

fast

hill

Translations

corail

🪸

coral

🪸

corallo

🪸

Koralle

🪸

coral

corall

🪸

koraal

🪸

mercan

🪸

koraalrood

🪸

coral·lí

κοράλλι

مرجان

Korallenriff

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkɒɹəl/

Etymology

Cognate with French: corail

Cognate with Hebrew: גּוֹרָל

Cognate with Arabic: جَرَل

In summary

From Old French coral (French corail), from Latin corallium, from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korállion, “coral”). Probably ultimately of Semitic origin, compare Hebrew גּוֹרָל (goral, “small pebble”), Arabic جَرَل (jaral, “small stone”), originally referring to the red variety found in the Mediterranean. Since ancient times, a common folk etymology, accepted by some earlier scholars, connected the word instead to Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē) (referring to Medusa). Beekes mentions both theories and considers the Semitic one convincing.