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Glite Dictionary
🌊 A Pacific sea ⚔️ A WWII battle
Coral Sea

Coral Sea

1 4.0
A sea in the South Pacific northeast of Australia near the Great Barrier Reef
  • proper noun
translation icon : Mar de Coral
  • Battle of the Coral Sea

Examples

  • Don went down with the Lexington in the Coral Sea.

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  • Photo 10: The Battle of the Coral Sea is usually dated May 4–8, 1942, not June 1942.

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  • My brother Merritt Terrell was on the USS Pensacola, which was torpedoed in the Battle of the Coral Sea.

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  • My father, SCSK Tony D'Angelo, served aboard the USS Chenango, Midway, Coral Sea, Leyte Gulf, and numerous other battles.

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  • The Coral Sea, located northeast of Australia, is known for its vibrant marine life and stunning coral reefs.

  • Many tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef, which is situated in the Coral Sea.

  • The Coral Sea is an important area for biodiversity, hosting numerous species of fish and coral.

Surface Forms

Coral Sea main

Morphology

coral + sea

While 'coral' + 'sea' transparently denotes a body of water with corals, the provided MWE meaning refers to a specific historical event (the Battle of the Coral Sea). A B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not infer the naval-battle sense or its historical significance without prior exposure, so the expression is opaque in this usage.

Etymology

Coral Sea gets its name from the many coral reefs found there, especially the Great Barrier Reef. So the name helps you picture the 'sea' northeast of Australia that is full of coral and marine life.