Battle of the Coral Sea
1
7.2
- proper noun
:
Batalla del Mar de Coral
- Battle of the Coral Sea marked the first major naval engagement entirely fought by aircraft launched from carriers.
Examples
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When she was still in commission, the old USS Coral Sea used to be on hand at the yearly Battle of the Coral Sea Celebration that your people used to hold.
Blog text (29) -
Photo 10: The Battle of the Coral Sea is usually dated May 4–8, 1942, not June 1942.
Blog text (11) -
My brother Merritt Terrell was on the USS Pensacola, which was torpedoed in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Blog text (11) -
A military body, the Australian New Guinea Military Unit (ANGAU), replaced the civilian colonial administration in 1942 following the Battle of the Coral Sea, fought in the seas and skies near Vanatinai (Lepowsky 1989b).
Academic text (1991) -
Battle of the Coral Sea resulted in a decisive defeat for the Japanese navy during World War II.
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During the Battle of the Coral Sea, American forces successfully engaged Japanese ships, changing the course of the war.
Synonyms
The first naval battle in history fought only by planes from aircraft carriers between Japan and Allied forces
Surface Forms
Morphology
battle + of + the + coral + sea
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'battle' combined with the place name 'Coral Sea' clearly denotes a battle that took place in the Coral Sea. A B1 learner who knows 'battle', 'coral', and 'sea' will infer the referential meaning (a military engagement at that location), though specific historical details cannot be derived from the constituents.
Etymology
Battle of the Coral Sea is named for the coral-filled sea near Australia where the clash happened. The fight is famous because most attacks came from planes launched from 'aircraft carriers' instead of ships meeting face to face, so this 1942 battle is remembered as a new kind of sea battle and a turning point in the war.