hemichordate
hemichordate Lexical Profile
hemichordate Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any marine invertebrate of the phylum Hemichordata, comprising the acorn worms and pterobranchs, which are characterized by a tripartite body and pharyngeal gill slits, and are evolutionarily closely related to echinoderms and chordates.
"During the marine biology lab, students examined a hemichordate to observe its distinct proboscis, collar, and trunk."
Word Nuance & Usage
Historically named for a structure once believed to be a half-notochord, modern biology recognizes this structure as a stomochord, meaning hemichordates are closely related to chordates but do not possess a true notochord.
• Rhymes for hemichordate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 19th century from Greek 'hēmi-' (half) and Latin 'chorda' (cord), reflecting the early belief that these organisms possessed a rudimentary or half notochord.