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atolls

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atolls

 

  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Coral  \Cor"al\,  n.  [Of.  coral,  F,  corail,  L.  corallum,  coralium 
  fr  Gr  kora`llion.] 
  1.  (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}. 
 
  2.  The  ovaries  of  a  cooked  lobster;  --  so  called  from  their 
  color. 
 
  3.  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  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.




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