- an animal lacking a backbone, such as an arthropod, mollusc, annelid, coelenterate, etc. The invertebrates constitute an artificial division of the animal kingdom, comprising 95 per cent of animal species and about thirty different phyla.无脊椎动物。比较 VERTEBRATE.
1
- of, relating to, or belonging to this division of animals无脊椎动物的。
1.1
- humorous irresolute; spineless〈幽默〉犹豫不决的; 没有骨气的, 没有勇气的, 软弱无能的：
so invertebrate is today's Congress regarding foreign policy responsibilities.
当今国会在外交政策责任方面是如此软弱无能。
词源
early 19th cent. (as a noun)： from modern Latin invertebrata (plural) 'the invertebrates' (former taxonomic group)， from French invertébrés, from in- 'without' + Latin vertebra （see VERTEBRA）.