barrier reef
12
4.1
- noun
- /ˈbæriər rif/
- Specialized
:
barrera de coral
- The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Australia.
- the Great Barrier Reef
I went diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
- I went diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
- I just read something like the other day about how half of the Great Barrier Reef is now dead.
Examples
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Many tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef to explore its vibrant underwater ecosystems.
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They ran this charter company that would take people out on the Great Barrier Reef.
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I just read something like the other day about how half of the Great Barrier Reef is now dead.
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Half of the Great Barrier Reef lost in 3 decades
Blog text (16) -
Dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
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Their state hosts the Great Barrier Reef, which is among the Seven Wonders of the world.
Blog text (5) -
As we approach Cairns after a six-hour flight from Apia, the Great Barrier Reef gleams in turquoise ripples.
Academic text (2008) -
The island's skyline of jagged volcanic peaks rose abruptly from the mirror-still lagoon sheltered by its barrier reef.
Academic text (2009) -
The Great Barrier Reef is famous for its diverse marine life and stunning coral formations.
Synonyms
105
2.0
A long narrow area of rock or coral near the sea surface
25
3.1
A ridge of rock in warm shallow sea made by many small sea animals
How Protective
- Specialized
12
4.1
105
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'barrier' (an obstacle) with 'reef' (a shallow coral formation): a reef that functions as a barrier along the shore. Noun–noun compounding with this compositional logic is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Barrier reef comes from a simple picture: a wall of reef that acts like a barrier between the open sea and the shore, leaving calm water behind it. That's why the name means a long coral reef that runs along the coast and protects the area between the reef and the land.