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Definition of lancelet

lancelet

/ˈlæns.lət/
lance · let
Plural:lancelets
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lancelet Lexical Profile

lancelet Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, elongated, translucent marine invertebrate of the subphylum Cephalochordata that resembles a tiny fish, possessing a notochord throughout its life but lacking a true brain, skull, or vertebral column.

Example

"In our evolutionary biology lab, we examined the anatomy of a lancelet under the microscope to study early chordate development."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for lancelet

• Nearby Words

lancaster
lance
lancehead
lancelet
lancetfish
land
land iguana

Word Origin & Etymology

Mid 19th century: from 'lance' + the diminutive suffix '-let', named for its small, slender, and pointed shape resembling a tiny spear.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Lancelet. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/lancelet
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