Meaning & use
invertebrate
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Meanings
nouncountablebiology
An animal that does not have a backbone or spinal column, such as an insect, worm, or jellyfish.
Grammar: Countable: one invertebrate, two invertebrates. Often used in the plural to refer to the group.
Patterns
- an invertebrate
- invertebrates such as ...
Insects, spiders, and worms are all examples of invertebrates.
The reef is home to a wide variety of invertebrates, including crabs and sea anemones.
Unlike vertebrates, invertebrates do not have a spinal column.
adjectivenot comparablebiology
Relating to animals that lack a backbone.
Grammar: Used before a noun: invertebrate species. Not usually used after a linking verb.
Patterns
- invertebrate species
- invertebrate animals
The museum has a large collection of invertebrate fossils.
Invertebrate biology is a major branch of zoology.
Word forms
| plural | invertebrates |
|---|
Common combinations
- marine invertebrate
- The octopus is a highly intelligent marine invertebrate.
- invertebrate species
- Scientists discovered several new invertebrate species in the cave.
- invertebrate zoology
- She specialized in invertebrate zoology and studied beetles.
- a variety of invertebrates
- The pond supports a variety of invertebrates, from water fleas to dragonfly larvae.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- vertebrate noun
- An animal with a backbone, such as a fish, bird, or mammal.
Commonly confused: invertebrate or vertebrate?
invertebrate vs vertebrate
Vertebrate means an animal with a backbone; invertebrate means one without. The prefix in- makes it negative.
Practice
Which of these animals is an invertebrate?
Choose one answer.
A butterfly is an insect and has no backbone, so it is an invertebrate. Snakes, frogs, and sparrows are vertebrates because they have a backbone.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “invertebrate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.