vertebrate

1 of 2

noun

ver·​te·​brate ˈvər-tə-brət  -ˌbrāt 

: any of a subphylum (Vertebrata) of chordates that comprises animals (such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes) typically having a bony or cartilaginous spinal column which replaces the notochord, a distinct head containing a brain which arises as an enlarged part of the nerve cord, and an internal usually bony skeleton and that includes some primitive forms (such as lampreys) in which the spinal column is absent and the notochord persists throughout life

vertebrate

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: having a spinal column

b

: of or relating to the vertebrates

2

: organized or constructed in orderly or developed form

Examples of vertebrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Researchers said dinosaurs likely had many of the same cancers seen in vertebrates today, particularly those impacting the bones, given many dinosaur species’ enormous size and accelerated growth rates, NPR reported. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025

Humans, other land vertebrates, and jawed fish have synovial joints. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025

Adjective

For context, that’s about 100 million years before any of our vertebrate ancestors – animals with a backbone – ever walked on land. —Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025

The other possibility is that the kinds of neural circuits that support vertebrate intelligence evolved independently in birds and mammals. —Yasemin Saplakoglu, Wired News, 11 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin Vertebrata, from neuter plural of vertebratus

Adjective

New Latin vertebratus, from Latin, jointed, from vertebra

First Known Use

Noun

1826, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for vertebrate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

vertebrate

1 of 2 adjective

ver·​te·​brate ˈvərt-ə-brət  -ˌbrāt 

1

: having a spinal column

2

: of or relating to the vertebrates

vertebrate

2 of 2 noun

: any of a large group of chordates comprising animals (as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes) typically having a bony or cartilaginous backbone which replaces the notochord, a distinct head containing a brain which arises as an enlarged part of the nerve cord, and an internal usually bony skeleton and including some primitive forms (as lampreys) in which the backbone is absent and the notochord persists throughout life

Medical Definition

vertebrate

1 of 2 noun

ver·​te·​brate ˈvərt-ə-brət  -ˌbrāt 

: a subphylum of chordates comprising animals (such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes) with a segmented spinal column together with a few primitive forms in which the backbone is represented by a notochord : an animal of the subphylum Vertebrata

vertebrate

2 of 2 adjective

1

: having a spinal column

2

: of or relating to the subphylum Vertebrata