The Collaborative International Dictionary
Coral \Cor"al\, n. [Of. coral, F, corail, L. corallum, coralium, fr. Gr. kora`llion.]
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(Zo["o]l.) The hard parts or skeleton of various Anthozoa, and of a few Hydrozoa. Similar structures are also formed by some Bryozoa.
Note: 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.
The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color.
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A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything. Brain coral, or Brain stone coral. See under Brain. Chain coral. See under Chain. Coral animal (Zo["o]l.), 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 small, venomous, Brazilian snake (Elaps corallinus), coral-red, with black bands.
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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.
Wiktionary
n. (context biology English) Any of various tropical corals of the family ''(taxlink Antipathidae family noshow=1)''
Wikipedia
Black corals (Antipatharia) are a group of deep water, tree-like corals related to sea anemones.
Usage examples of "black coral".
Bound by a ring of black coral, his dark hair fell in a sideknot to below his shoulders, and his uniform tunic was cinched by a narrow hide belt.
It seemed odd, and somehow wrong, that such a terrible place could be reduced to a small lump of black coral.
Ambassador Aragan - a tall, battle-scarred man who seemed to be suffering from a headache - here to speak on behalf of Empress Laseen, regarding the governance of Black Coral.
Ragged bands of Tenescowri, emaciated and sickly, had emerged from Black Coral, and from the woodlands, and were all congregating around the camp.
Composed of a type of black coral and propelled by a dovin basal - which unfortunately was dead on arrival.
The walls of the great room were lined with benches and tables, and nearby rose a high platform surmounted by two polished thrones of gleaming black coral.
Composed of a type of black coral and propelled by a dovin basal—.
Horn Coral: This precious stone is a deep black coral similar to Angelar's skin save for its solid color.