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Today it means

invertebrate

an animal lacking a backbone or spinal column

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Where does the word "invertebrate" come from? It comes from Latin in, and was adopted directly into English (1826).

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Where does the word "invertebrate" come from? It comes from Latin in, and was adopted directly into English (1826).

Invertebrate’s story begins in Latin: in meant “without.” Without, combined with vertebratus (having a spine). It reached English by 1826 as invertebrate. Lamarck coined 'animaux sans vertèbres' in 1797. Today, invertebrate means an animal lacking a backbone or spinal column.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient in "without", without, combined with vertebratus (having a spine).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1826 invertebrate "an animal lacking a backbone", Lamarck coined 'animaux sans vertèbres' in 1797.

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