ver ‧ te ‧ brate /ˈvɜːtəbrət, ˈvɜːtɪbrət, -breɪt $ ˈvɜːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a living creature that has a ↑ backbone ⇨ invertebrate
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THESAURUS
▪ animal a living thing such as a dog, cow, or tiger, but not an insect, fish, or bird:
farm animals such as cows, sheep, and pigs
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People are becoming more concerned about animal welfare.
▪ creature /ˈkriːtʃə $ -ər/ an animal – used especially when describing a particular animal’s characteristics or when referring to animals generally:
The cheetah is a magnificent creature.
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all the living creatures in the sea
▪ beast an animal, especially a large or dangerous one:
To most people, lions are savage beasts.
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a wild beast
▪ living thing an animal considered as one of a group of things that grow and then die, including humans and plants:
The only living things we saw were dogs and cats.
▪ species /ˈspiːʃiːz/ a group of animals whose members are similar and can breed together to produce young animals:
Seven species of birds of prey have been observed.
▪ mammal an animal that drinks milk from its mother’s body when it is young:
Humans, dogs, and whales are all mammals.
▪ vertebrate a living creature that has a backbone:
viruses that affect chickens, monkeys, and most other vertebrates
▪ invertebrate a living creature that does not have a backbone:
earthworms and other small invertebrates