n. [ Of. coral, F, corail, L. corallum, coralium, fr. Gr. kora`llion. ] 1. (Zool.) The hard parts or skeleton of various Anthozoa, and of a few Hydrozoa. Similar structures are also formed by some Bryozoa. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The large stony corals forming coral reefs belong to various genera of Madreporaria, and to the hydroid genus, Millepora. The red coral, used in jewelry, is the stony axis of the stem of a gorgonian (Corallium rubrum) found chiefly in the Mediterranean. The fan corals, plume corals, and sea feathers are species of Gorgoniacea, in which the axis is horny. Organ-pipe coral is formed by the genus Tubipora, an Alcyonarian, and black coral is in part the axis of species of the genus Antipathes. See Anthozoa, Madrepora. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything. [ 1913 Webster ]

Brain coral, or
Brain stone coral. See under Brain. --
Chain coral. See under Chain. --
Coral animal (Zool.), one of the polyps by which corals are formed. They are often very erroneously called coral insects. --
Coral fish. See in the Vocabulary. --
Coral reefs (Phys. Geog.), reefs, often of great extent, made up chiefly of fragments of corals, coral sands, and the solid limestone resulting from their consolidation. They are classed as fringing reefs, when they border the land; barrier reefs, when separated from the shore by a broad belt of water; atolls, when they constitute separate islands, usually inclosing a lagoon. See Atoll. --
Coral root (Bot.), a genus (Corallorhiza) of orchideous plants, of a yellowish or brownish red color, parasitic on roots of other plants, and having curious jointed or knotted roots not unlike some kinds of coral. See Illust. under Coralloid. --
Coral snake. (Zo) (a) A small, venomous, Brazilian snake (Elaps corallinus), coral-red, with black bands. (b) A small, harmless, South American snake (Tortrix scytale). --
Coral tree (Bot.), a tropical, leguminous plant, of several species, with showy, scarlet blossoms and coral-red seeds. The best known is Erythrina Corallodendron. --
Coral wood, a hard, red cabinet wood. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a North American deciduous shrub (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) cultivated for its abundant clusters of coral-red berrylike fruits.
Syn. -- Indian currant, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. shrub (Ardisia crenata) with coral-red berries; it is found from Japan to northern India.
Syn. -- spiceberry, Ardisia crenata. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Having coral; covered with coral. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) Any bright-colored fish of the genera Chætodon, Pomacentrus, Apogon, and related genera, which live among reef corals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like coral, or partaking of its qualities. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Geol.) A deposit of coralliferous limestone forming a portion of the middle division of the oolite; -- called also coral-rag. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. corallum coral + -ferous. ] Containing or producing coral. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. corallum coral + -form. ] resembling coral in form. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. corallum coral + root of gignere to produce. ] (Zool.) Same as Anthozoa. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. producing coral; coralligerous; coralliferous. Humble. [ 1913 Webster ]