Reef

Definition

Reef refers to a ridge of jagged rock, coral, or sand just above or below the surface of the sea; as a verb, reef means to shorten or reduce the area of a sail by tying part of it to a spar or boom. Its plural form as a noun is reefs.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb (transitive)

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /riːf/
• Respelling: REEF

British English

• IPA: /riːf/
• Respelling: REEF

Etymology

Middle English: from Old English rēaf ‘ridge, reef of sand,’ of Germanic origin; the verb sense dates from early 16th century, from Dutch erven ‘to reef.’

Derivatives

• reefing (verb gerund)
• reefer (noun: a sailor who reefs sails)
• reefable (adjective)

Synonyms

• Noun: shoal, bar, ridge
• Verb: shorten (a sail), reduce

Antonyms

• Verb: unfurl, let out (a sail)

Usage

"The coral reef teemed with colorful fish."

"In heavy winds, the captain ordered the crew to reef the mainsail."

Related Terms

• Coral: Marine invertebrates forming large reefs.
• Shoal: A shallow area in a body of water.
• Sail: A piece of fabric used to catch wind on a boat.
• Boom: A horizontal spar supporting the foot of a sail.
• Atoll: A ring-shaped coral reef encircling a lagoon.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A ridge of rock, coral, or sand just above or below the sea surface – often hazardous to navigation and home to diverse marine life.
  • Example: "The ship carefully navigated around the reef at dawn."
• An underwater structure of living coral – built by colonies of coral polyps over generations.
  • Example: "Scuba divers explored the Great Barrier Reef."

Verb

• To shorten or reduce the area of a sail by folding and fastening part of it – to make a sail smaller in strong winds.
  • Example: "They reefed the jib before the storm hit."
• To secure part of a sail around a spar or boom – tying in reef points.
  • Example: "He learned to reef correctly during his first voyage."