invertebrate
Americanadjective
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Zoology.
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not vertebrate; without a backbone.
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of or relating to creatures without a backbone.
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without strength of character.
noun
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an invertebrate animal.
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a person who lacks strength of character.
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of invertebrate
From the New Latin word invertebrātus, dating back to 1820–30. See in- 3, vertebrate
Explanation
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. Invertebrate animals include fruit flies and sea sponges. Your backbone allows you to stand up straight, and it also allows you to be grouped with the other vertebrates: animals with backbones. Invertebrates are the opposite: they have no backbone. These are the two major groups of animals. Also, this word is used for people who are spineless in the sense of having no courage. You could say a coward acts in an invertebrate way. Whether it's a backbone-free animal or a courage-free person, all invertebrates lack spines.
Vocabulary lists containing invertebrate
Tyrannosaurus Lex(icon)
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Life Science: Organisms and Taxonomy
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Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Researchers say these impacts make it especially important to assess the risks on Mediterranean islands, where many unique invertebrate and vertebrate species are found nowhere else.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
After three years the invertebrate population of that area was still 90% lower.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
Scientists have long wondered how these invertebrate eyes continue growing during adulthood.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 2, 2025
Typically, a spooked tarantula will try to run and hide, said Lisa Gonzalez, program manager of invertebrate living collections at the county Natural History Museum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2025
In organic chemistry, invertebrate zoology, and the inspired symmetry of Mendelian genetics, I have found a religion that serves.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
But McLaren, who lives near the coast in North Ayrshire, believes there is more to the brainless, heartless and boneless invertebrates than people might think.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Bates said many discoveries from fruit fly neuroscience have carried over from invertebrates to mammals, including findings related to navigation, olfaction, and memory.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026
But we show that if you could identify it, you’d have a level playing field to compare humans, invertebrates, and computers.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026
"We take samples from the same part of river each month and then separate out the different invertebrates into a tray and count them," she said.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
Offshore, an unfinished break wall was home to kelp beds and invertebrates.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
