| Webster's Online Dictionary |
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| Fringing reef | Geology | A coral reef that forms near the shoreline. (references) | |
| Fringing reef | Mining | 1: A reef that forms against or near an island or continental coast and grows seaward, sloping sharply toward the sea floor. Fringing reefs usually range from 0.5 to 1.0 or more kilometers in width. (references) | |
| 2: An organic reef that is directly attached to or borders the shore of an island or continent, having a rough, tablelike surface that is exposed at low tide; it may be more than 1 km wide, and its seaward edge slopes sharply down to the sea floor. There may be a shallow channel or lagoon between the reef and the adjacent mainland. Syn: shore reef. (references) | |||
| Fringing reef | Oceanography | A shelf reef that grows close to shore. Some develop around oceanic islands. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
