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

The region supported plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and large numbers of invertebrates, creating one of the most intricate marine food webs ever identified.

From Science Daily

These discoveries cover an astonishing sweep of life on Earth, including dinosaurs, mammals, fishes, reptiles, insects, arachnids, marine invertebrates, and even a mineral never documented before.

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily

A comparable adaptation has been observed only in a few invertebrates, such as the stalk-eyed fly.

From Science Daily

To overcome this bottleneck, researchers launched Ocean Species Discoveries, a data-rich publication platform designed for concise, high-quality marine invertebrate species descriptions.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet