Brain coral
- 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.
[1913 Webster]
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}. [1913 Webster]
2. The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color. [1913 Webster]
3. A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything. [1913 Webster]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Look at other dictionaries:
Brain coral — Brain Brain (br[=a]n), n. [OE. brain, brein, AS. bragen, br[ae]gen; akin to LG. br[ a]gen, bregen, D. brein, and perh. to Gr. bre gma, brechmo s, the upper part of head, if [beta] = [phi]. [root]95.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Anat.) The whitish mass of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
brain coral — n. a massive stony coral (genus Diploria or Meandrina) resembling the surface of a mammalian brain: see CORAL … English World dictionary
Brain coral — Taxobox name = Brain coral image width = 240px image caption = Grooved brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis regnum = Animalia phylum = Cnidaria classis = Anthozoa subclassis = Hexacorallia ordo = Scleractinia familia = Faviidae familia… … Wikipedia
brain coral — brain′ cor al n. ivt any reef building coral of the genera Meandrina and Diploria, having a highly convoluted surface • Etymology: 1700–10 … From formal English to slang
brain coral — noun any of several species of coral in the shape of a brain … Wiktionary
brain coral — noun a compact coral with a convoluted surface resembling that of the brain. [Diploria and other genera.] … English new terms dictionary
brain coral — noun massive reef building coral having a convoluted and furrowed surface • Hypernyms: ↑stony coral, ↑madrepore, ↑madriporian coral • Member Holonyms: ↑Maeandra, ↑genus Maeandra … Useful english dictionary
brain coral — noun Date: circa 1711 a massive reef building coral (as genus Diploria) having the surface covered by ridges and furrows … New Collegiate Dictionary
brain coral — any of several reef building corals of the genus Meandrina, having a highly convoluted and furrowed surface. [1700 10] * * * … Universalium
Open brain coral — Green open brain coral Scientific classification … Wikipedia
