a hard substance, usu containing calcium, produced by certain marine invertebrate animals related to the sea anemones
a rich red precious type of coral secreted by a gorgonian coral: Corallium nobile
a marine invertebrate animal of a group that secrete an external chalky or horny skeleton and usu occur united into branching, encrusting, or more or less solid colonies. They have a hollow cylindrical body with a ring of tentacles round the mouth: orders Scleractinia, Madreporaria, Gorgonacea, and Alcyonacea
a bright reddish mass of edible ovaries, e.g. of a lobster or scallop
a deep orange-pink colour
coral adj
coralloid /-loyd/ adj
[Middle English via French from Latin corallium from Greek korallion]