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An earthworm is an invertebrate because it has no backbone.
What does Invertebrate mean?
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone; the word can also describe animals or studies in this group.
Dictionary definition
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone, such as an insect, spider, worm, clam, jellyfish, or octopus. As an adjective, invertebrate means lacking a backbone or relating to these animals; in rare formal use it can insultingly describe someone or something as weak or lacking resolve.
Example sentences
Invertebrate in a sentence
medium
A crab is an invertebrate with a hard outer skeleton.
hard
The stream survey compared invertebrate populations at two sites.
hard
An octopus is an invertebrate even though it has a complex nervous system.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Invertebrate
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What is an invertebrate?
Invertebrates include many different groups, all lacking a backbone.
Practice 2
Which word is the direct biological contrast to invertebrate?
A vertebrate typically has a backbone, while an invertebrate does not.
Practice 3
Which sentence uses invertebrate as an adjective?
Invertebrate describes the kind of fossils, so it acts as an adjective.
Practice complete
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Invertebrate
Voice settings
Sounds like
in · vur · tuh · brut · strongest beat: vur
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordInvertebrate.
Partnoun, adjective.
MeaningInvertebrate means An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone; the word can also describe animals or studies in this group.
ExampleExample: An earthworm is an invertebrate because it has no backbone.
Word breakdown
4 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- in · vur · tuh · brut
- Strongest beat
- vur
- Ending
- brut
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on vur.
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Synonyms
Words like Invertebrate
spinelessA close adjective when invertebrate is used figuratively to mean weak or lacking resolve; do not use it as the preferred scientific name for an animal.
weakA close adjective only for the rare figurative sense meaning lacking strength or resolve, not for the biological sense.
Antonyms
Opposite words
vertebrateA direct biological contrast for an animal with a backbone, or for something related to such animals.
Synonym practice
Want to practice invertebrate synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "A worm is an invertebrate without a backbone," then compare close word choices. Practice invertebrate synonyms.
Word family
Invertebrate word family
Base word
invertebrate
noun
invertebrates
The plural form of invertebrate.
adjective
invertebrate
Describing an animal without a backbone or work related to such animals.
noun
vertebrate
The contrasting base word after the prefix in- is removed.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Invertebrate
Hint for students
Focus on the absence of a backbone. An outer shell, soft body, or internal support made from another material does not turn an animal into a vertebrate.
Common mix-up
Invertebrate does not mean boneless animal: many invertebrates have shells, exoskeletons, or other support structures. Spineless can be figurative and insulting when applied to a person.
Try it in class or at home
Students inspect diagrams of an insect exoskeleton, clam shell, octopus body, fish skeleton, and mammal skeleton. They classify each animal by backbone and name its other support structure when visible.
Teacher prompt
Compare an octopus, crab, earthworm, and dog. Why do the first three all count as invertebrates even though their body supports look different?
Animal Classification Wheel
Compare animals with the Classification Vocabulary Wheel
Spin this researched animal vocabulary wheel to compare body groups, backbones, diets, predator-prey roles, and the evidence behind each classification.
Learning activities
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