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

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

• nonvertebrate adjective
• subvertebrate noun
• unvertebrate adjective

Etymology

Origin of vertebrate

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

Example Sentences

This marks the first time circoviruses have been detected in cetaceans from this region and adds to the growing list of viruses known to infect marine vertebrates.

From Science Daily

These animals represent some of the earliest examples of land-based species adapting to life far from shore, marking a critical turning point in vertebrate evolution.

From Science Daily

"These thousands of newly found species each year are not just microscopic organisms, but include insects, plants, fungi and even hundreds of new vertebrates."

From Science Daily

That pattern changed with the identification of a newly studied site where scientists documented more than 100 vertebrate fossils per square meter, including large dinosaur bones lying almost directly on top of one another.

From Science Daily

"I am fascinated by the ways in which changes during development give rise to the skeletal features which distinguish dinosaurs, birds, crocodylians, and other vertebrates," said Morris.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• beast
• creature
• pet