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Where does the word "vertebrate" come from? It comes from Latin vertebratus, and was adopted directly into English (1826).
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Where does the word "vertebrate" come from? It comes from Latin vertebratus, and was adopted directly into English (1826).
Vertebrate’s story begins in Latin: vertebratus meant “jointed, having a spine.” Having joints, having a spine, from vertere (to turn). It reached English by 1826 as vertebrate. Lamarck divided animals into vertebrates and invertebrates in 1797. Today, vertebrate means an animal possessing a backbone or spinal column.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vertebratus "jointed, having a spine", having joints, having a spine, from vertere (to turn).
- Stage 2 · English · 1826 vertebrate "an animal possessing a backbone", Lamarck divided animals into vertebrates and invertebrates in 1797.