reef Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Reef as a Noun
A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
A large vein of auriferous quartz; hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed in a high wind.
A reef knot.
The itch; any eruptive skin disorder.
Dandruff.
Reef as a Verb
To take in part of a sail in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.
To pull or yank strongly, especially in relation to horse riding.
To move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
Reef the paddles.
To manipulate the lining of a person's pocket in order to steal the contents unnoticed.
(of paddles) To move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
Reef the paddles.
Reef as an Adjective
Scabby; scurvy.
Reef in a Sentence
Reef the paddles.
Word Forms & Grammar
reef (plural reefs)
reef (third-person singular simple present reefs, present participle reefing, simple past and past participle reefed)
reef (comparative reefer or more reef, superlative reefest or most reef)
Words That Rhyme With Reef
Origin of Reef
Origin 1: From earlier riff, from Middle English rif, from Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”). Dutch rif (“reef”), Low German riff, reff (“reef”), German Riff (“reef, ledge”) are also borrowed from Old Norse. Doublet of rib.
Origin 2: From Middle English reef, from Old Norse rif, Middle Dutch rif, rēve, and/or Middle Low German ref. Possibly a figurative use of the word for “rib” in etymology 1 above, in which case all forms must, again, be borrowings from Old Norse. Alternatively it may be a different word related to Old English rift (“curtain, veil”), ārāfian (“to uncoil, wind off”).
Origin 3: From Middle English ref, hreof, from Old English hrēof (“rough, scabby, leprous", also "a leper”), from Proto-Germanic *hreubaz (“rough, scabby, scrubby”), from Proto-Indo-European *kreup- (“scab, crust”), related to Old English hrēofla (“leprosy, leper”). Cognate with Scots reif (“a skin disease leaving crusts on the skin, the scab”), Old High German riob (“leprous, scabby, mangy”), Icelandic hrjúfur (“scabby, rough”). Compare riffe, dandruff.
Reef at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ɹiːf/ |
| Meaning | A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water |
| Plural | reefs |
| Comparative / superlative | reefer, reefest |
| Verb forms | reefs, reefing, reefed |
Reef: Your Questions Answered
Is reef a noun or a verb?
Reef is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is the plural of reef?
The plural of reef is reefs.
What is the past tense of reef?
The past tense of reef is reefed. The present participle is reefing.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of reef?
The comparative form is reefer and the superlative form is reefest.