invertebrate

American  

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

adjective

1. Zoology.

   1. not vertebrate; without a backbone.

   2. of or relating to creatures without a backbone.

2. without strength of character.

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noun

1. an invertebrate animal.

2. a person who lacks strength of character.

invertebrate British  

/ -ˌbreɪt, ɪnˈvɜːtɪbrɪt /

noun

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

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating invertebrates

invertebrate Scientific  

/ ĭn-vûr′tə-brĭt,-brāt′ /

1. Having no backbone or spinal column.

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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 Word Forms

• invertebracy noun
• invertebrateness noun

Etymology

Origin of invertebrate

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

Example Sentences

Scientists have long wondered how these invertebrate eyes continue growing during adulthood.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2025

So the question of cyborg ethics is currently a question of the ethics of creating cyborgs from invertebrate animals.

From Salon • May 13, 2025

The milder conditions also led to people encountering a far less welcome invertebrate - ticks.

From BBC • Jan. 7, 2025

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 • Sep. 13, 2024

The invertebrate eye was invented into an optical instrument at the MBL, opening the way to modern visual physiology.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet