Definition of clade
: a group of biological taxa (such as species) that includes all descendants of one common ancestor
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of clade from the Web
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Several microsaur groups (those united within the clade Recumbirostra) exhibit adaptations for head-first burrowing and are among the oldest tetrapods specialised for this lifestyle.
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Eventually, the genes of the Egyptian and southwest Asian clades began to win out over others.
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Over millennia, the clade from Egypt and Southwest Asia began to dominate the world.
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Typically, clades develop when a species is separated by geological barriers, like drifting continents or rising mountains.
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According to a study published in Ecology and Evolution, the species exists in three genetic sub-groups, or clades.
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The organisms taken from infected people in other countries were related genetically in clades—
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The structure of luciferin in bacteria – whether living alone or in the glowing organs of some fish and squid – are structurally different from those utilized by other clades, such as the subgroup our peculiar shrimp belongs to.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clade.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of clade
Greek klados
Other Biology Terms
Learn More about clade
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See words that rhyme with clade Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clade
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