noun
- an animal belonging to the phylum Chordata, characterized by having a notochord, dorsal nerve cord, and pharyngeal slits at some stage of development
Usage: biology
adjective
- relating to or characteristic of chordates
Usage: biology
Examples
- Humans are chordates because they possess a spinal cord.
- Fish, birds, and mammals are all examples of chordates.
- The chordate phylum includes vertebrates and some simpler organisms.
- Scientists study chordate evolution to understand vertebrate development.
- The chordate nervous system is more complex than that of invertebrates.
- All chordate embryos share certain developmental features.