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récif

reef

noun reh-SEEF Rare
Animals & Nature Geography

Origin: From Spanish 'arrecife', from Arabic 'ar-rasif' (causeway, embankment).

Usage Note

Récif refers to a ridge of rock, coral, or sand near the water's surface. The most famous type is the récif de corail (coral reef). The Grande Barrière de Corail (Great Barrier Reef) is la Grande Barrière de Corail in French. A related term is atoll (m), which is a ring-shaped coral reef forming a lagoon.

Examples

"Le navire s'est échoué sur un récif."

Natural Translation

The ship ran aground on a reef.

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