CORAL


Meaning of CORAL in English

n. & adj.

--n.

1. a a hard red, pink, or white calcareous substance secreted by various marine polyps for support and habitation. b any of these usu. colonial organisms.

2 the unimpregnated roe of a lobster or scallop.

--adj.

1. like coral, esp. in colour.

2 made of coral.

Phrases and idioms:

coral island (or reef) one formed by the growth of coral. coral rag limestone containing beds of petrified corals. coral-snake any of various brightly-coloured poisonous snakes, esp. Micrurus nigrocinctus, native to Central America.

Etymology: ME f. OF f. L corallum f. Gk korallion, prob. of Semitic orig.

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.