Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

coral

/ˈkɔɹəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.86 in modern English

Syllables
coral
IPA
/ˈkɔɹəl/
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

Countable

noun

A hard substance made of the skeletons of these organisms.

Uncountable

noun

A somewhat yellowish orange-pink color; the color of red coral (Corallium rubrum) of the Mediterranean Sea, commonly used as an ornament or gem.

Countable

noun

The ovaries of a cooked lobster; so called from their color.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

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

Countable; Uncountable

adj

Made of coral.

adj

Having the orange-pink color of coral.

noun

Obsolete form of corral.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

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.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: coral, corallium, κοράλλιον, -

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈkɔɹəl/
  • British English: /ˈkɒɹəl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

corals (plural) corals (present, singular) coraling (US, participle) coralling (UK, participle) coraled (US, participle) coraled (US, past) coralled (UK, participle) coralled (UK, past)

Derived Forms

coralberry coralbush coraled coralfish coralise coralize corallaceous coraller corallet coralliferous coralliform coralligenous

Phrases

angel skin coral bamboo coral black coral blue coral brain coral brainstone coral branch coral brush coral

Frequently Paired Words

atoll barrier reef dactylozooid fringing reef gonophore gorgonian Great Barrier Reef madrepore

Synonyms

red coral precious coral

Homonyms

choral

Rhymes With

moral oral floral laurel immoral quarrel choral aural amoral balmoral sorrel morell

Questions

How do you pronounce coral?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɔɹəl/.
What does coral mean?
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.
Where does coral come from?
It is traced to Old French.

How to pronounce coral

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “coral”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɔɹəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “coral”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “coral” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.