chordate

chor·date  (kôrdt, -dt)

n.

Any of numerous animals belonging to the phylum Chordata, having at some stage of development a dorsal nerve cord, a notochord, and gill slits and including all vertebrates and certain marine animals, such as the lancelets.

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[From New Latin Chordta, phylum name, from Latin chorda, cord; see cord.]

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chordate adj.

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chordate [ˈkɔːˌdeɪt]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any animal of the phylum Chordata, including the vertebrates and protochordates, characterized by a notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord, and pharyngeal gill slits

adj

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) of, relating to, or belonging to the Chordata

[from Medieval Latin chordata; see chord¹ + -ate¹]

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chordate  (kôrdt)

Any of a large group of animals of the phylum Chordata, having at some stage of development a notochord (flexible spinal column) and nerve cord running along the back, a tail stretching above and behind the anus, and gill slits. Chordates probably evolved before the Cambrian Period and are related to the hemichordates, echinoderms, and chaetognaths. The vertebrates, tunicates, and cephalochordates are the three main groups of chordates.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	chordate - any animal of the phylum Chordata having a notochord or spinal column animal, animate being, beast, creature, fauna, brute - a living organism characterized by voluntary movement Chordata, phylum Chordata - comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord cephalochordate - fish-like animals having a notochord rather than a true spinal column tunicate, urochord, urochordate - primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord that is conspicuous in the larva craniate, vertebrate - animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium
Adj.	1.	chordate - of or relating to or characteristic of the Chordata