barrier reef
noun [ C ] uk/ˌbær.i.ə ˈriːf/ us/ˌber.i.ɚ ˈriːf/
堡礁（近海岸的珊瑚礁）
an area of coral (= a substance like rock formed by small sea creatures) just above or just below the surface of the sea, that is close to land but separated from it by an area of water
Barrier reefs are separated from land by a lagoon and grow parallel to shorelines. 堡礁与陆地被泻湖隔开，与海岸线走向相平行。
The most famous barrier reef is the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia. 最著名的堡礁是澳大利亚海岸附近的大堡礁。
- More examples
- The third largest coral barrier reef in the world lies just off the Atlantic side of the Keys.
- The IPCC report said that Australia's Great Barrier Reef faces extinction.
- The muddy silt eventually washes into the sea and out to the Great Barrier Reef, smothering pristine reefs and killing coral.
- This is a critical habitat for elkhorn and staghorn corals, two species that have long formed the foundation of barrier reefs off Florida and in the Caribbean.