nerve cord

American  

noun

1. a single hollow tract of nervous tissue that constitutes the central nervous system of chordates and develops into the spinal cord and brain in vertebrates.

2. a solid double strand of nerve fibers along the length of the body in elongate invertebrates, as earthworms and insects, connecting with a pair of nerve ganglia at each body segment.

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Etymology

Origin of nerve cord

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

A long, thin dorsal hollow nerve cord runs the length of the chordate, along the top.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The ventral nerve cord is better developed than the dorsal or lateral cords.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The nerve cord found in most chordate embryos develops into the brain and spinal cord, which compose the central nervous system.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

Figure 15.35 Adult lancelets retain the four key features of chordates: a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

Earlier than that, in 1839, Nasse had discovered that a severed nerve cord degenerates in its peripheral portions.

From A History of Science — Volume 4 by Williams, Henry Smith