chondropterygian adjective 1noun 1forms 3 adjective1 •(no longer used) Having a cartilaginous skeleton. noun1 •(no longer used) Any member of the obsolete class Chondropterygii, which included both the cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) such as sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras, and the more primitive bony fishes such as sturgeons that have some bones made of cartilage. formschondropterygians · more chondropterygian · most chondropterygian