barrier reef

A long, narrow ridge of coral or rock parallel to and relatively near a coastline, separated from the coastline by a lagoon.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

barrier reef

(Physical Geography) a long narrow coral reef near and lying parallel to the shore, separated from it by deep water. See Great Barrier Reef

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bar′rier reef`

a reef of coral running roughly parallel to the shore and separated from it by a wide, deep lagoon.

[1795–1805]

barrier reef

A long, narrow ridge of coral deposits parallel to the mainland and separated from it by a deep lagoon.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

barrier reef - a long coral reef near and parallel to the shore

coral reef - a reef consisting of coral consolidated into limestone

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Keeling Island -- Singular appearance -- Scanty Flora -- Transport of Seeds -- Birds and Insects -- Ebbing and flowing Springs -- Fields of dead Coral -- Stones transported in the roots of Trees -- Great Crab -- Stinging Corals -- Coral eating Fish -- Coral Formations -- Lagoon Islands, or Atolls -- Depth at which reef-building Corals can live -- Vast Areas interspersed with low Coral Islands -- Subsidence of their foundations -- Barrier Reefs -- Fringing Reefs -- Conversion of Fringing Reefs into Barrier Reefs, and into Atolls -- Evidence of changes in Level -- Breaches in Barrier Reefs -- Maldiva Atolls, their peculiar structure -- Dead and submerged Reefs -- Areas of subsidence and elevation -- Distribution of Volcanoes -- Subsidence slow, and vast in amount

View in context

In a return to the dark days of the 1980s, oil sharks are again circling Australia's greatest natural icon, the Great Barrier Reef, in search of petroleum and profits.

SLICK OPERATORS TARGET REEF

A massive "raft" of volcanic rock has been found floating in the Pacific Ocean, and it could help heal Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

'Raft' of volcanic rock the size of Washington D.C. found floating in Pacific Ocean; Experts claim the pumice stone could aid the recovery of Australia's Great Barrier Reef

A Uber submarine diving on the Great Barrier Reef at Heron Island in Queensland.

'ScUber' launches submarine trips to Great Barrier Reef

The sub will take two passengers down to 20 meters below sea level and along designated dive paths around the reef, in partnership with environmental advocacy group Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef.

'ScUber' launches submarine trips to Great Barrier Reef

Sydney: Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, could suffer a bleaching event every two years by 2034 under the current level of greenhouse gas pollution, according to a study published on Thursday.

Great Barrier Reef bleaching could accelerate by 2034

COMMONWEALTH Games golden boy Adam Peaty has been making a splash - on the Great Barrier Reef.

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A new study by Australian researchers suggested it's highly unlikely the Great Barrier Reef will ever fully recover from the bleaching event in 2016, reported Xinhua news agency.

Great Barrier Reef may never recover from 2016 bleaching event, experts say