lancelet

[ lans-lit, lahns- ]

noun
  1. any of several small, lancet-shaped burrowing marine animals of the subphylum Cephalochordata, having a notochord and bearing structural similarities to both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Origin of lancelet

1
First recorded in 1565–75; lance2 + -let

Words Nearby lancelet

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British Dictionary definitions for lancelet

lancelet

/ (ˈlɑːnslɪt) /


noun
  1. any of several marine animals of the genus Branchiostoma (formerly Amphioxus), esp B. lanceolatus, that are closely related to the vertebrates: subphylum Cephalochordata (cephalochordates): Also called: amphioxus

Origin of lancelet

1
C19: referring to the slender shape

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for lancelet

lancelet

[ lănslĭt ]


  1. Any of various small, transparent, fishlike marine organisms of the subphylum Cephalochordata that are related to vertebrates but have a notochord instead of a true backbone. Unlike other primitive chordates, lancelets have a body divided into serially repeated muscular segments. Also called amphioxus

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