invertebrate
in-VER-tuh-brayt
/ɪnˈvɜːr.tɪ.brət/
An animal lacking a backbone or spinal column, such as an insect, mollusk, crustacean, or worm.
Covers over 95 percent of animal life, characterized by the absence of a internal spinal column.
The story behind the word. Coined by French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in the early 1800s by adding the negative prefix 'in-' (not) to 'vertebratus'. Lamarck realized that creatures without backbones were vastly diverse and deserved their own broad division.
Word relationships
- vertebrate: Vertebrates possess backbones, whereas invertebrates do not.
Commonly confused with
- vertebrate: Vertebrates have a backbone; invertebrates lack one.
Collocations
- marine invertebrate
- invertebrate fauna
- invertebrate species
- benthic invertebrate
Example sentences
- "The coral reef is home to thousands of soft-bodied invertebrate species such as sea anemones and squids." Marine biology
- "Insects represent the most abundant type of invertebrate found across terrestrial ecosystems." Entomology
Memory hook
IN- means NOT; INvertebrates have NO backbone. In- (no) + vertebrate (backbone).
When not to use
Do not apply to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or fish.
Fun facts
- The giant squid is the world's largest invertebrate, reaching lengths of up to 40 feet!
Related words
Explore more words
spineless, decomposer, pelagic, organism, descendant, aquatic
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