invertebrate

[ in-vur-tuh-brit, -breyt ]

adjective

1. Zoology.
   1. not vertebrate; without a backbone.
   2. of or relating to creatures without a backbone.
2. without strength of character.

noun

1. an invertebrate animal.
2. a person who lacks strength of character.

invertebrate

/ -ˌbreɪt; ɪnˈvɜːtɪbrɪt /

noun

1. any animal lacking a backbone, including all species not classified as vertebrates

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating invertebrates

invertebrate

/ ĭn-vûr′tə-brĭt,-brāt′ /

Adjective

1. Having no backbone or spinal column.

Noun

1. An animal that has no backbone or spinal column and therefore does not belong to the subphylum Vertebrata of the phylum Chordata. Most animals are invertebrates. Corals, insects, worms, jellyfish, starfish, and snails are invertebrates.

Other Words From

• in·ver·te·bra·cy [in-, vur, -t, uh, -br, uh, -see], in·verte·brate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of invertebrate¹

From the New Latin word invertebrātus, dating back to 1820–30. See in- ³, vertebrate

Example Sentences

To investigate this issue in Canada, our recent research paper examined mislabelling and ambiguous market names in invertebrate and finfish products — fish with fins, like cod, salmon and tuna — in Calgary between 2014 and 2020.

From Salon

This summer, Austin Hendy, an assistant curator at the Natural History Museum who specializes in invertebrate paleontology, spent hours sifting and sorting through thousands of fossilized shells found in the shell bed.

From Los Angeles Times

Mark Carnall, invertebrate specialist at Oxford’s Museum of Natural History, agreed: “Just look at the structure of textbooks, departments, conservation designations such as endangered species. Vertebrates. It’s mostly vertebrates. I would call that a clear subjective bias.”

From Slate

Research suggests that TV wildlife documentaries are four times more likely to feature animals with bones than their invertebrate alternatives.

From Slate

In fact, invertebrate animals are likely to have many other untold secrets and stories we humans could learn a great deal from in future.

From Slate

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet