Where does “vertebrate” come from?

vertebrate (English) comes from French vertèbre, from Latin vertebra, from Latin vertō, from Proto-Italic wertō, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

vertebrate (English): Having a backbone; An animal having a backbone

Definitions

  1. Having a backbone; An animal having a backbone

Ancestry of “vertebrate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchvertèbrevertebra
2Latinvertebrajoint; vertebra
3Latinvertōto turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve
4Proto-Italicwertōto turn
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “vertebrate”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →
vertebrate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer