: a group of biological taxa (such as species) that includes all descendants of one common ancestor
Examples of clade in a Sentence
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Pterosaurs were a clade of flying reptiles that appeared in the Late Triassic Period.
—
Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 14 July 2025
The current strain of bird flu (H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4), which was identified in 2021, is highly contagious and has persisted for multiple seasons, Fleace said.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 28 Feb. 2025
Filling in fossil record gaps The model suggested that, during the 18 million-year time period in question, the proportion of land the four dinosaur clades likely occupied remained constant overall, suggesting their potential habitat area remained stable, and the risk of extinction stayed low.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
The researchers then estimated the likelihood of each of the dinosaur clades occupying the different grid cells at four time points within the final 18 million years of the Cretaceous period.
—Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
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Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 14 July 2025
The current strain of bird flu (H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4), which was identified in 2021, is highly contagious and has persisted for multiple seasons, Fleace said.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 28 Feb. 2025
Filling in fossil record gaps The model suggested that, during the 18 million-year time period in question, the proportion of land the four dinosaur clades likely occupied remained constant overall, suggesting their potential habitat area remained stable, and the risk of extinction stayed low.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
The researchers then estimated the likelihood of each of the dinosaur clades occupying the different grid cells at four time points within the final 18 million years of the Cretaceous period.
—Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clade
Cite this Entry
“Clade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clade. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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