Invertebrate - Definitions from Dictionary.com

7 results for: Invertebrate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

in·ver·te·brate

Audio Help [in-vur-tuh-brit, -breyt] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

Zoology.

a.	not vertebrate; without a backbone.

b.	of or pertaining to creatures without a backbone.

2.	without strength of character.

–noun

3.	an invertebrate animal.

4.	a person who lacks strength of character.

[Origin: 1820–30; < NL invertebrātus. See in-³, vertebrate

]

—Related forms

in·ver·te·bra·cy

Audio Help [in-vur-tuh-bruh-see] Pronunciation Key, in·ver·te·brate·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Invertebrate

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

in·ver·te·brate Audio Help (ĭn-vûr'tə-brĭt, -brāt') Pronunciation Key
adj.

Lacking a backbone or spinal column; not vertebrate.
Of or relating to invertebrates: invertebrate zoology.

n. An animal, such as an insect or mollusk, that lacks a backbone or spinal column.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
invertebrate (n.)

1826, coined from L. in- "not" + vertebra "joint." Invertebrata as a biological classification was coined 1805 by Cuvier.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

invertebrate
adjective
1.	lacking a backbone or spinal column; "worms are an example of invertebrate animals" [ant: vertebrate]
noun
1.	any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
invertebrate [inˈvəːtibrət] adjective, noun

(an animal eg a worm or insect) not having a backbone

Arabic:	لا فقاري، عديم الفِقار
Chinese (Simplified):	无脊椎的（动物）
Chinese (Traditional):	無脊椎的(動物)
Czech:	bezobratlý
Danish:	hvirvelløst dyr
Dutch:	ongewerveld
Estonian:	selgrootu
Finnish:	selkärangaton
French:	invertébré
German:	wirbellos
Greek:	ασπόνδυλος
Hungarian:	gerinctelen
Icelandic:	hrygglaus
Indonesian:	tak bertulang belakang
Italian:	invertebrato

Japanese:	脊椎のない
Korean:	척추가 없는; 무척추 동물
Latvian:	bezmugurkaulnieks; bezmugurkaulains
Lithuanian:	bestuburis (gyvūnas)
Norwegian:	virvelløs
Polish:	bezkręgowy, bezkręgowiec
Portuguese (Brazil):	invertebrado
Portuguese (Portugal):	invertebrado
Romanian:	nevertebrat
Russian:	беспозвоночное (животное)
Slovak:	bezstavcový
Slovenian:	brez vretenc; brezvretenčar
Spanish:	invertebrado
Swedish:	invertebrat, ryggradslöst djur
Turkish:	omurgasız (canlı)

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

invertebrate Audio Help   (ĭn-vûr'tə-brĭt, -brāt') Pronunciation Key
Adjective   Having no backbone or spinal column.

Noun   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.