Chordata

*gherə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "gut, entrail." 

It forms all or part of: Chordata; chordate; chord (n.2) "structure in animals resembling a string;" chorion; cord; cordon; harpsichord; haruspex; hernia; notochord; yarn.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit hira "vein; band;" Latin hernia "rupture;" Greek khorde "intestine, gut-string;" Lithuanian žarna "guts, leather bag;" Old English gearn, Old High German garn "yarn" (originally made of dried gut), Old Norse gorn "gut."

1885, "pertaining to or characteristic of the Chordata," from Chordata. Also from 1885 as a noun, "a chordate animal."