vertebrate

[ vur-tuh-brit, -breyt ]

adjective

1. having vertebrae; having a backbone or spinal column.
2. belonging or pertaining to the Vertebrata (or Craniata), a subphylum of chordate animals, comprising those having a brain enclosed in a skull or cranium and a segmented spinal column; a major taxonomic group that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.

noun

1. a vertebrate animal.

vertebrate

/ ˈvɜːtɪˌbreɪt; -brɪt /

noun

1. any chordate animal of the subphylum Vertebrata, characterized by a bony or cartilaginous skeleton and a well-developed brain: the group contains fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the subphylum Vertebrata

vertebrate

/ vûr′tə-brĭt,-brāt′ /

1. Any of a large group of chordates of the subphylum Vertebrata (or Craniata), characterized by having a backbone. Vertebrates are bilaterally symmetrical and have an internal skeleton of bone or cartilage, a nervous system divided into brain and spinal cord, and not more than two pairs of limbs. Vertebrates have a well-developed body cavity (called a coelom) containing a chambered heart, large digestive organs, liver, pancreas, and paired kidneys, and their blood contains both red and white corpuscles. Vertebrates include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Other Words From

• non·verte·brate adjective noun
• sub·verte·brate noun adjective
• un·verte·brate adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertebrate¹

First recorded in 1820–30, vertebrate is from the Latin word vertebrātus jointed. See vertebra, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Can a single protein-encoding gene determine whether a vertebrate embryo develops normally?

From Science Daily

Not only must successful blood-suckers be able to find a compatible vertebrate, they need to have evolved senses that let them hone in on their targets.

From Salon

These are ventures — often one-person crusades — that celebrate fast food, Finnish folk art, Skid Row, skateboarding, vertebrate zoology and more.

From Los Angeles Times

This is the first study to strongly indicate that a vertebrate species can use bubbles to breathe under water, a trait that several bugs and invertebrates are known to have adapted.

From Salon

Given the prevalence of back pain in at least some of their long-suffering descendants, perhaps it’s appropriate that with the first vertebrates on Earth came the first painkillers on Earth.

From Salon

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet