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invertebrate
[in-vur-tuh-brit, -breyt]
adjective
Zoology.
not vertebrate; without a backbone.
of or relating to creatures without a backbone.
without strength of character.
noun
an invertebrate animal.
a person who lacks strength of character.
invertebrate
/ -ˌbreɪt, ɪnˈvɜːtɪbrɪt /
noun
any animal lacking a backbone, including all species not classified as vertebrates
adjective
of, relating to, or designating invertebrates
invertebrate
Having no backbone or spinal column.
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
Word History and Origins
Origin of invertebrate1
Example Sentences
The parasitic fungus species belongs to a group that infects their invertebrate hosts and takes control before killing them as part of their spore-spreading mechanisms.
Some invertebrates can live for thousands of years, and the oldest known sea sponges have been dated to be 18,000 years old, Levin said.
So the question of cyborg ethics is currently a question of the ethics of creating cyborgs from invertebrate animals.
Numerous studies have shown de-icing chemicals cause habitat loss and poor water quality for invertebrates and fish.
This squid, as its name suggests, can grow to as much as 23 feet in length and 1,100 pounds — the heaviest invertebrate in the world — according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
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