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

As the diversity or abundance of invertebrates change after dam removal, so might their predators.

From Salon

“If there is one, there have to be more,” said Javier Ortega-Hernández, an invertebrate paleontologist at Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology and the study’s co-author.

From New York Times

They’ll eat anything — carrion, invertebrates, plant matter — which helps keep ponds clean.

From Seattle Times

Remarkably aligned with the science of evolution, an epic 2,000-line Hawaiian creation chant tells of life itself beginning in the sea with the marine invertebrates known as coral.

From Washington Post

And Fiorillo spent time looking for the burrows of small invertebrate animals, similar to ancient crayfish.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet