coralline

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkɒrəlʌɪn/

noun

  • (also coralline alga or coralline seaweed) a branching reddish seaweed with a calcareous jointed stem.
    • Family Corallinaceae, division Rhodophyta, in particular Corallina officinalis, which is common on the coasts of the North Atlantic
  • (in general use) a sedentary colonial marine animal, especially a bryozoan.

adjective

Geology
  • derived or formed from coral: the islands were volcanic rather than coralline in origin
  • of the pinkish-red colour of precious red coral: a coralline pepper
  • resembling coral: coralline sponges

Origin:

mid 16th century: the noun from Italian corallina, diminutive of corallo 'coral', the adjective (mid 17th century) from French corallin or late Latin corallinus, both based on Latin corallum 'coral'