elkhorn coral

noun

elk·​horn coral ˈelk-ˌhȯrn- How to pronounce elkhorn coral (audio)
: a reef-building branching coral (Acropora palmata) of shallow waters of southern Florida and the West Indies

Examples of elkhorn coral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Glass-bottom boats gliding along the surface reveal sea turtles, Goliath grouper, and elkhorn coral to travelers who don't want to get wet. — Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026 For instance, in the Florida Keys, the discovery that a bacterium found in human wastewater was behind white pox disease in elkhorn coral led to sewage system upgrades. — JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025 About 90% of elkhorn coral, an important primary species for reef structure building, was also lost in 2023, O'Neil said. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2025 Reefs dominated by large, complex and rigid corals, such as thickets of elkhorn corals, create rough, elevated structures that can break and slow incoming waves, providing the greatest protection. — Steven Canty, The Conversation, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for elkhorn coral

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elkhorn coral was in 1928

Rhymes for elkhorn coral

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Browse Nearby Words

Elkhart
elkhorn coral
elkhorn fern
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elkhorn coral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elkhorn%20coral. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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