vertebrate

American  

[vur-tuh-brit, -breyt] / ˈvɜr tə brɪt, -ˌbreɪt /

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.

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noun

• vertebrates
  plural

1. a vertebrate animal.

vertebrate British  

/ 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

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adjective

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

vertebrate Scientific  

/ 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subvertebrate
  noun
• nonvertebrate
  adjective
• unvertebrate
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vertebrates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vertebrate

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

Explanation

A vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone and a skeleton. Vertebrate animals include humans. When you think about vertebrates, think about bones: this word has to do with animals that have a lot of bones, in the form of a skeleton. It especially refers to animals with a backbone, which protects their spinal cord. Vertebrates have many bones, including a skull which protects their brains, which tend to be large. People, dogs, horses, lizards, dogs, cats, and many other animals are in the vertebrate category. Animals without a backbone are called invertebrates.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vertebrate vertebrates

When the researchers applied this framework to different vertebrate groups, it successfully reproduced the body size patterns seen in mammals, birds, and turtles.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

This unusual process may explain why vertebrate eyes are constructed so differently from the eyes of many other animals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

The researchers argue that its evolutionary remains survive today as the pineal gland, a small organ located deep within the vertebrate brain.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

The researchers now want to better understand exactly how these neurons influence spatial attention across vertebrate species and whether they serve a similar function in humans.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026

“Interesting. It’s difficult to observe if it’s chemiluminescent vertebrate or bioluminescent bacteria.”

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

In particular, competition with early small mammals could have prevented dinosaurs from moving into the mouse-sized and sparrow-sized niches that are filled by many vertebrates today.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

They lure mosquitoes with carbon dioxide—all vertebrates release the gas with each exhale, so to mosquitoes, it usually signals a meal.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

In many vertebrates, the pineal system is directly sensitive to light.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

They also feed on a broad range of native animals, including important pollinators such as honeybees as well as protected small vertebrates like tree frogs and lizards.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

The body plans of vertebrates depend on this property: if hemoglobin’s capacity to deliver oxygen to distant sites was disrupted, our bodies would be forced to be small and cold.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet