Illustration of staghorn coral
staghorn coral
noun
stag·horn coral ˈstag-ˌhȯrn- 
: any of several large branching corals (genus Acropora, especially A. cervicornis) that somewhat resemble antlers
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The species most likely to bleach and die are staghorn coral and other root and branch corals with spaces that allow many kinds of fish to swim and gain protection. 
Damien Cave, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2020 Diver Lenford DaCosta tends to lines of staghorn coral growing at an underwater nursery inside the Oracabessa Fish Sanctuary Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Oracabessa, Jamaica. San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2019 But swim a little farther and pieces of regenerating staghorn coral appear, strung out on a line, waiting to be tied onto rocks in an effort to repair the damage done to reefs by man and nature. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 But swim a little farther and pieces of regenerating staghorn coral appear, strung out on a line, waiting to be tied onto rocks in an effort to repair the damage done to reefs by man and nature. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 A few hours later, at an underwater site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson uses fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings — a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 A few hours later, at an underwater site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson uses fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings — a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 Diver Lenford DaCosta cleans up lines of staghorn coral at an underwater coral nursery inside the Oracabessa Fish Sanctuary, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Oracabessa, Jamaica. Christina Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2019 The disease has not affected branching species such as elkhorn and staghorn coral. sun-sentinel.com, 11 Dec. 2019 See More
Damien Cave, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2020 Diver Lenford DaCosta tends to lines of staghorn coral growing at an underwater nursery inside the Oracabessa Fish Sanctuary Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Oracabessa, Jamaica. San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2019 But swim a little farther and pieces of regenerating staghorn coral appear, strung out on a line, waiting to be tied onto rocks in an effort to repair the damage done to reefs by man and nature. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 But swim a little farther and pieces of regenerating staghorn coral appear, strung out on a line, waiting to be tied onto rocks in an effort to repair the damage done to reefs by man and nature. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 A few hours later, at an underwater site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson uses fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings — a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 A few hours later, at an underwater site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson uses fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings — a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2019 Diver Lenford DaCosta cleans up lines of staghorn coral at an underwater coral nursery inside the Oracabessa Fish Sanctuary, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Oracabessa, Jamaica. Christina Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2019 The disease has not affected branching species such as elkhorn and staghorn coral. sun-sentinel.com, 11 Dec. 2019 See More Word History
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above