chordate Zoology [ 'kɔ:deɪt ]
■ noun an animal of the large phylum Chordata, comprising the vertebrates together with the sea squirts and lancelets, all of which are distinguished by possessing a notochord.
■ adjective relating to chordates.
Origin
from mod. L. Chordata , from L. chorda (see chord 2 ), on the pattern of words such as Vertebrata (see vertebrate ).