corail
/kɔ.ʁaj/masculine
The English word "coral" is translated into French as corail.
As a noun, corail refers to a species or a colony of coral. You can use the phrase Les récifs coralliens to say "coral reefs" and La protection des coraux to express "coral conservation".
Meaning: species or colony (noun)
Which one should you use?
When you use corail as an adjective to describe a color, it is invariable, meaning it does not change to match gender or number. To describe something as being made of coral, you would use the adjective corallien.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so it takes the masculine article le (le corail).
How do you pronounce it?
corail is pronounced /kɔ.ʁaj/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- Historically, the French referred to coral as l'or rouge or 'red gold' because of its immense value in jewelry and medicine.
- French folklore once attributed protective powers to le corail, believing it could ward off the 'evil eye' and protect children.
- The word corail comes from the Latin 'corallium', which was derived from the Ancient Greek κοράλλιον.
Examples in context
- J'ai acheté cette bague de corail au Marché aux puces.I bought this coral ring at the Flea Market.The first example shows how to use corail when referring to a ring.Tatoeba #3258157 by nimfeo, translation #3258158 by Miktsoanit
- J'ai vu qu'ouvrant ses lèvres de corail, elle parfumait de son doux souffle l'air.I saw her coral lips move, and with her breath, she did perfume the air.The second example uses corail to describe a color.Tatoeba #10297506 by carlosalberto, translation #10297479 by carlosalberto
- Les coraux sont de magnifiques organismes marinsCorals are magnificent marine organisms.
- Ils ont une superbe collection de coraux dans leur aquariumThey have a stunning collection of corals in their aquarium.
- La biodiversité dans les récifs coralliens est d'une grande importance pour l'équilibre écologiqueBiodiversity in coral reefs is of great importance for ecological balance.
- Le changement climatique entraîne malheureusement un blanchissement croissant du corailClimate change is unfortunately causing an increasing coral bleaching.
- De nombreuses initiatives sont mises en place pour la protection des coraux dans nos océansNumerous initiatives are being implemented for the conservation of corals in our oceans.
- Les coraux sont souvent considérés comme les joyaux de l'océan, leur préservation est une responsabilité partagée.Corals are often considered the jewels of the ocean, their preservation is a shared responsibility.
- Le corail est très fragile sous l'eau.The coral is very fragile underwater.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a documentary about the ocean.
- ManonRegarde ce magnifique corail rouge !Look at this magnificent red coral!
- NathanOui, c'est une espèce impressionnante.Yes, it is an impressive species.
- ManonIl faut protéger chaque petit corail.We must protect every little coral.
- NathanTu as tout à fait raison, Manon.You are absolutely right, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coral” translations and entries corail, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
