n.
Pronunciation: ' ma-dr ə - ˌ po ̇ r
Function: noun
Etymology: French madrépore, from Italian madrepora, from madre mother (fr. Latin mater ) + poro pore (fr. Latin porus ) ― more at MOTHER
Date: 1751
: any of various stony reef-building corals (order Madreporaria) of tropical seas that assume a variety of branching, encrusting, or massive forms
– mad · re · po · ri · an \ ˌ ma-dr ə - ' po ̇ r- ē - ə n \ adjective or noun
– mad · re · por · ic \ - ' po ̇ r-ik \ adjective