Dictionary

invertebrate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈvəːtɪbrət/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English vertebrate English invertebrate From in- + vertebrate.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Without a backbone: without vertebrae.
   • Tear it up, and put a fragment under the microscope, and, wonder of wonders! see the maze of geometric forms exhibited in the bones of the creature; for who can help regarding the spicules as bones, even though a sponge be invertebrate? 1860, Recreative Science, page 110:
2. (not-comparable) Cowardly, uncourageous; lacking character.
   • This week Fifa’s morally invertebrate president, Gianni Infantino, gave a speech that attempted to paint his World Cup as a marker of a grand struggle between the bright new world and corrupt old Europe, with Infantino himself the Mandela at its centre. 2022 November 21, Barney Ronay, “Iran’s brave and powerful gesture is a small wonder from a World Cup of woe”, in The Guardian:

Antonyms

vertebrated · vertebrate

Relateds

inveterate

Synonyms

low-hearted · base · fainthearted · pusillanimous · dastardly · lily-livered · nithing · unhearty · milky · candy-assed · spineless · white-hearted · timorous · poor-spirited · nutless · cowish · gutless · rabbit-hearted · craven · cravenhearted · niding · chicken · yellow-bellied · mousy · kiasi · milk-livered · white-livered · punk · dough-faced · dastard · liver-hearted · caitiff · yellow · boneless · pussylike · timid · cowardly · invertebrate · retromingent · miching · cowhearted · mouse-hearted · pigeon-livered · soft · chicken-livered · hen-hearted · invalorous · niddering · nerveless · liver-faced · fraidy · cowardish · cowardy · chicken-hearted · backboneless · heartless · cringey · sissy · nidering · dickless · spineless · bitch-ass · fearful · wimpish · spineless · weak-kneed · ratlike · gizzardless · recrayed · chickenshit · poltroonish · courageless

Translations (39)

cmn 無脊椎的 /无脊椎的 (lacking backbone) · la invertebrātus (lacking backbone) · uk безхребе́тний (lacking backbone) · ca invertebrat (lacking backbone) · hy անողնաշար (lacking backbone) · kmr bêbirrbirredar (lacking backbone) · fr invertébré (lacking backbone) · sv ryggradslös (lacking backbone) · ms invertebrat (lacking backbone) · izh selkäpiitöin (lacking backbone) · be бесхрыбе́тны (lacking backbone) · ru бесхребе́тный (lacking backbone) · de wirbellos (lacking backbone) · ast invertebráu (lacking backbone) · pt invertebrado (lacking backbone) · id invertebrata (lacking backbone) · hu gerinctelen (lacking backbone) · mk безрбетен (lacking backbone) · ga inveirteabrach (lacking backbone) · nb virvelløs (lacking backbone) · be беспазвано́чны (lacking backbone) · cs bezpáteřný (lacking backbone) · nl ongewerveld (lacking backbone) · pl bezkręgowy (lacking backbone) · cs bezobratlý (lacking backbone) · bg безгръбначен (lacking backbone) · ru беспозвоно́чный (lacking backbone) · it invertebrato (lacking backbone) · fi selkärangaton (lacking backbone) · es invertebrado (lacking backbone) · vi không xương sống (lacking backbone) · ro nevertebrat (lacking backbone) · nv bíígháán ádaadinígíí (lacking backbone) · ms tidak bertulang belakang (lacking backbone) · gl invertebrado (lacking backbone) · ko 무척추 (lacking backbone) · mi tuaiwikore (lacking backbone) · ja 無脊椎 (lacking backbone) · oc invertebrat (lacking backbone)

invertebrate en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈvəːtɪbrət/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English vertebrate English invertebrate From in- + vertebrate.

Meanings

1. An animal without vertebrae (i.e., without a backbone).
   • Yet despite sounding inhospitable, grasslands such as this are home to a huge variety of smaller herbs and wildflowers, including some of the UK's rarest orchids and invertebrates, in addition to being home to butterfly species such as the Chalkhill Blue. 2024 March 20, Chris Howe, “High speed underneath the Chilterns...”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 33:
2. (informal) A spineless person; a coward.

Forms

Antonyms

vertebrate · vertebrate

Deriveds

macroinvertebrate · microinvertebrate

Hypernyms

animal · animal · critter · creature

Hyponyms

insect · sea star · sea anemone · earthworm · hydra · mollusc · leech · sea urchin · arachnid · snail · bivalve · arthropod · crustacean · polychaete · squid · sea cucumber · sponge · coral · jellyfish

Synonyms

craven · pullet · funker · candy-arse · sluggard · weak sister · snool · nithing · poltroon · caitiff · piece of shit · piece of crap · milquetoast · fraidy cat · pisspants · shithouse · niddering · quiche-eater · nidering · chicken · quakebreech · punk · invertebrate · pussy · wheyface · chicken liver · jessie · scaredy cat · coward · yellow belly · nidget · gutless wonder · recreant · quakebuttock · slag · invertebrate · chickenshit · nancy · cowardy custard · dog · niding · cocktail · sissy · yellow back · lizard · pussyhole · sook · scaredy pants · candy-ass · gutless wonder · coistril · bottler

Translations (59)

nl ongewervelde (animal without backbone) · cmn 無脊椎動物 /无脊椎动物 (animal without backbone) · sv ryggradslöst djur (animal without backbone) · uk безхребе́тна твари́на (animal without backbone) · tr omurgasız (animal without backbone) · ms haiwan invertebrat (animal without backbone) · fi selkärangaton (animal without backbone) · ka უხერხემლო (animal without backbone) · de Wirbelloses (animal without backbone) · es invertebrado (animal without backbone) · hu gerinctelen (animal without backbone) · bg безгръбна́чно живо́тно (animal without backbone) · lo ສັດບໍ່ມີກະດູກສັນຫລັງ (animal without backbone) · ga inveirteabrach (animal without backbone) · bg безгръбна́чно (animal without backbone) · ro nevertebrat (animal without backbone) · uz umurtqasiz (animal without backbone) · hy անողնաշար (animal without backbone) · br divellkeineg (animal without backbone) · ky омурткасыз (animal without backbone) · ro nevertebrată (animal without backbone) · de Invertebrat (animal without backbone) · pt invertebrado (animal without backbone) · cs bezobratlý (animal without backbone) · is hryggleysingi (animal without backbone) · sh beskralješnjak (animal without backbone) · it invertebrato (animal without backbone) · sw wasouti (animal without backbone) · ar لَا فَقَارِيّ (animal without backbone) · kk омыртқасыз (animal without backbone) · be беспазвано́чнае (animal without backbone) · ko 무척추동물 (animal without backbone) · lt bestuburis (animal without backbone) · tg бемӯҳра (animal without backbone) · sh beskičmenjak (animal without backbone) · az onurğasız (animal without backbone) · la invertebrātum (animal without backbone) · fr invertébré (animal without backbone) · nv chʼosh bíígháán ádaadinígíí (animal without backbone) · sq invertebrore (animal without backbone) · ca invertebrat (animal without backbone) · th สัตว์ไม่มีกระดูกสันหลัง (animal without backbone) · gl invertebrado (animal without backbone) · sh beskičmen (animal without backbone) · mk безрбетник (animal without backbone) · vi động vật không xương sống (animal without backbone) · kn ಅಕಶೇರುಕ (animal without backbone) · sk bezstavovec (animal without backbone) · mi hātaretare (animal without backbone) · ja 無脊椎動物 (animal without backbone) · af invertebraat (animal without backbone) · km សត្វឥតឆ្អឹងកង (animal without backbone) · el ασπόνδυλο (animal without backbone) · sl nevretenčar (animal without backbone) · ru беспозвоно́чное (animal without backbone) · pl bezkręgowiec (animal without backbone) · eo senvertebrulo (animal without backbone) · ms invertebrat (animal without backbone) · eo malvertebrulo (animal without backbone)

wikidata: Q43806