Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
clade
noun
/kleɪd/
Definition
A group of organisms that share a common ancestor.
Examples
- A clade can include a wide variety of organisms, from plants to animals.
- The clade of reptiles includes snakes, lizards, and turtles.
- Researchers often use clades to study evolutionary relationships between species.
Meaning
In biology, a clade is a group of species that are all descended from a common ancestor, including that ancestor.
Synonyms
- Branch
- Group
- Lineage
