reef
A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the waterA chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
» The coral reef is the region's prime attraction.
Коралловый риф - главная достопримечательность региона.
Meaning
6 sensesA chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
Riff, Felsenriff
рифrif
рифryf
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
(Australia, South Africa)A large vein of auriferous quartz; hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed in a high wind.
рифrif
one of several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to lessen the area of the sail that is exposed to the wind
A reef knot.
The itch; any eruptive skin disorder.
Dandruff.
Examples
52 sentencesThe coral reef is the region's prime attraction.
ruКоралловый риф - главная достопримечательность региона. — marafon
This is one of the most beautiful coral reefs in this area.
Coral reefs are threatened by climate change.
ruКоралловые рифы находятся под угрозой из-за изменения климата. — Selena777
Tom and Mary snorkeled around the reef.
Pollution destroyed the once-vibrant coral reefs.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From earlier riff, from Middle English rif, from Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), from Proto-GFrom earlier riff, from Middle English rif, from Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”). Dutch rif (“reef”), Low German riff, reff (“reef”), German Riff (“reef, ledge”) are also borrowed from Old Norse. Doublet of rib.
From Middle English reef, from Old Norse rif, Middle Dutch rif, rēve, and/or Middle Low German ref. Possibly a figurative use of the word for “rib” in etymology 1 above, in which case all forms must, again, be borrowings from Old Norse. Alternatively it may be a different word related to Old English rift (“curtain, veil”), ārāfian (“to uncoil, wind off”).
From Middle English ref, hreof, from Old English hrēof (“rough, scabby, leprous", also "a leper”), from Proto-Germanic *hreubaz (“rough, scabby, scrubby”), from Proto-Indo-European *kreup- (“scab, crust”), related to Old English hrēofla (“leprosy, leper”). Cognate with Scots reif (“a skin disease leaving crusts on the skin, the scab”), Old High German riob (“leprous, scabby, mangy”), Icelandic hrjúfur (“scabby, rough”). Compare riffe, dandruff.
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Forms
plural: reefsSynonyms
2 synonyms- a rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese:WitwatersrandRand