A chordal graph is a type of graph in which every cycle of four or more vertices has a chord. A chord is an edge that connects two non-adjacent vertices in the cycle. This property ensures that the graph does not contain any "long" cycles, making it easier to analyze and work with in various applications. Chordal graphs are significant in computer science and mathematics, particularly in areas like graph theory and algorithm design. They are often used in optimization problems and can be efficiently colored, meaning that the vertices can be assigned colors such that no two adjacent vertices share the same color.