Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A flexible rodlike structure that forms the main support of the body in the lowest chordates, such as the lancelet; a primitive backbone.
- n. A similar structure in embryos of higher vertebrates, from which the spinal column develops.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The chorda dorsalis or primitive backbone: a fibrocellular or cartilaginous rod-like structure which is developed in vertebrates as the basis of the future spinal column, and about which the bodies of the future vertebræ are formed. It is one of the earliest embryonic structures, and persists throughout life in many of the lower vertebrates, which are on this account called notochordal; but in most cases it is soon absorbed and replaced by a definite cartilaginous or bony spinal column. The soft pulpy substance which may be seen filling in the cupped ends of the vertebrw of a fish, as brought to the table, is a part or the remains of the notochord. Anteriorly, in skulled vertebrates, the notochord runs into the base of the skull as far as the pituitary fossa. (see
parachordal .) The caudal division of a notochord is often calledurochord . Such a structure is characteristic of tunicates or ascidians, called on this account Urochorda, and approximated to or included among vertebrates. (SeeAppendiculariidæ .) A sort of notochord occurring in the acorn-worms has caused them to be named Hemichorda. (SeeBalanoglossus and Enteropneusta.) The lancelets are named Cephalochorda with reference to the extension of this structure into the head. SeeChordata , and cuts under Pharyngobranchii, chondrocranium, Lepidosiren, and visceral. - n. A vestigial structure, representing a very ancient form of alimentary canal not in itself a part of the skeleton.
Wiktionary
- n. A flexible rodlike structure that forms the main support of the body in the lowest chordates; a primitive spine
- n. A similar structure found in the embryos of vertebrates from which the spine develops
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Anat.) An elastic cartilagelike rod which is developed beneath the medullary groove in the vertebrate embryo, and constitutes the primitive axial skeleton around which the centra of the vertebræ and the posterior part of the base of the skull are developed; the
chorda dorsalis . SeeIllust. of ectoderm.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a flexible rodlike structure that forms the supporting axis of the body in the lowest chordates and lowest vertebrates and in embryos of higher vertebrates
Etymologies
- Greek nōton, back + chord2. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“For example, the notochord is a character that provides internal structural support and unites all members of the phylum Chordata or chordates, animals with notochords and pharyngeal arches, among other characteristics.”
“A notochord is a rope of nervous connection which branches into the trunk nerves of the body.”
“Thus the notochord is the necessary forerunner of the vertebral column, cartilage the precursor of bone.”
Form and Function A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology
“The notochord is a continuous rod of cartilage, or gristle, which in the embryological growth of vertebrate animals supports the spinal nerve cord before the formation of the vertebrae.”
“The notochord is the supporting axis of the pioneer backboned animals, namely the Lancelets and the Round-mouths (Cyclostomes), such as the”
The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) A Plain Story Simply Told
“Concomitantly with the development of this canal, there is found, immediately beneath it, a little gelatinous rod enclosed in a membraneous envelope, and called the notochord, or chorda dorsalis.”
“Amphioxus has only a primitive proto-spinal column called a notochord, but it is a very close relative of vertebrates.”
“Amphioxus has only a primitive proto-spinal column called a notochord, but it is a very close relative of the vertebrates.”
“The finding is of particular relevance to the fossils of ancient chordates - animals that develop a characteristic rod-like support structure known as a notochord at some point during their lives.”
“O. Mangold was able to show that mesodermal organs such as notochord, somites and pronephric ducts could arise from presumptive ectoderm by suitable transplantation at the beginning of gastrulation.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘notochord’.
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Not 250 Spelling Words Again
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ihi, kyoodle, heimin, feis, menarche, cordwainer, gherao, zythum, accidie, anastomosis, boustrophedon, oleum and 238 more...
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Logolepsy
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words that sound musical but aren't
kettlebells, g-string, eardrum, codaphone, notochord, limoncello, dumbbell, Glamorgan, Saxon, harpoon, bellissimo, viandante and 8 more...
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Columns & Rows
Wordnik is organized as columns.
What a row!peripteral, peristyle, orthostichy, pseudo-dipteral, ployment, indentation, plinth, stylobate, balustrade, chine, trompe, telamon and 75 more...
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nota-, noto-
the back; dorsum
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Dinosaurs, extended
At first, this was a list for things found in Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History by David E. Fastovsky. But now it's degenerated a bit to contain anything dinosaur or fossil related.
disarticulate, body fossil, trace fossil, apatite, soft anatomy, permineralization, replacement, articulated, disarticulated, intestine’s-eye view, ichnofossil, paleoenvironment and 270 more...
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The Collection
A somewhat discriminatory list of words and phrases collected for their euphonic or arcane appeal, interesting etymology, or concise definition of an otherwise unnamed phenomenon or concept.
ziggurat, neophilia, sucker punch, soporific, epoch, tundra, fiat, idiotproof, miscellany, metaphysics, cryptozoology, dysphoria and 850 more...
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Monovocalics
Words that have only one of the vowels. On this list I include only words with at least three vowels. When I first started the list, if a word had several forms, I generally listed only the one wit...
syzygy, mirific, cumulus, homolog, monocot, bedewed, jezebel, referee, bikini, minikin, locomotor, terebenthene and 2359 more...
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Greek Spelling Bee List
need to know these words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lethargy, biopsy, enthusiasm, odyssey, synonym, calypso, character, eclectic, chronology, cosmetic, cynical, hypothesis and 128 more...
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O
monovocalic with 'o' but ONLY if I like them :-)
potoroo, woolloomoolloo, polo, booboo, morocco, pomology, mofongo, bloodroot, foolproof, bonobo, oboe, colocolo and 20 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for notochord.
bilby "The notochord consists of a rod of cells situated on the ventral aspect of the neural tube; it constitutes the foundation of the axial skeleton, since around it the segments of the vertebral column are formed."
- Henry Gray, 'Anatomy of the Human Body', 1918. Sep 20, 2009