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be a vertebrate
be a vertebrate 用于说明某动物属于脊椎动物。
A dolphin is a vertebrate, not a fish.
海豚是脊椎动物，不是鱼。
脊椎动物
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
脊椎动物
an animal with a backbone; a member of the subphylum Vertebrata
A dolphin is a vertebrate, not a fish.
海豚是脊椎动物，不是鱼。
有脊椎的动物；属于脊椎动物亚门的动物。
An animal having a backbone: one belonging to the subphylum Vertebrata.
具有骨性或软骨性骨骼、分节脊柱以及头骨内大脑的动物
animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium
A fish is a vertebrate because it has a backbone.
鱼是脊椎动物，因为它有脊椎。
Scientists classify humans as vertebrates along with birds and reptiles.
科学家将人类与鸟类和爬行动物一同归类为脊椎动物。
In biology class, we compared the skeleton of a vertebrate with that of an insect.
生物课上，我们比较了脊椎动物和昆虫的骨骼。
be a vertebrate 用于说明某动物属于脊椎动物。
A dolphin is a vertebrate, not a fish.
海豚是脊椎动物，不是鱼。
复数形式常用来泛指所有脊椎动物。
Vertebrates have a backbone and a skull.
脊椎动物有脊柱和头颅。
用 such as 列举典型例子，帮助说明“脊椎动物”的范围。
Some vertebrates, such as frogs and snakes, are commonly studied in class.
一些脊椎动物，如青蛙和蛇，常在课堂上被研究。
Not this
All vertebrate have backbones.
Use this
All vertebrates have backbones.
vertebrate 是可数名词，表示“脊椎动物”，复数需加 -s。汉语“所有脊椎动物”不体现复数，但英语中可数名词此处必须用复数形式 vertebrates。
Not this
A human has a vertebrate made of many bones.
Use this
A human has a spine made of many bones.
vertebrate 作名词指“脊椎动物”，不是“脊椎/脊柱”。表示人体中的脊柱应用 spine 或 vertebral column。此错误源于把汉语“脊椎”与英语 vertebrate 混淆。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
海洋脊椎动物
Marine vertebrates include fish, whales, and sea turtles.
海洋脊椎动物包括鱼类、鲸和海龟。
脊椎动物物种
The island is home to over 200 vertebrate species.
这座岛上生活着200多种脊椎动物物种。
脊椎动物化石
Vertebrate fossils can tell us about ancient life on Earth.
脊椎动物化石能告诉我们地球上古代生命的信息。
脊椎动物的演化
The study of vertebrate evolution has transformed our understanding of the tree of life.
对脊椎动物演化的研究改变了我们对生命之树的认知。
脊椎动物的大脑
The vertebrate brain is protected by the skull and is more complex than that of invertebrates.
脊椎动物的大脑受到头骨保护，比无脊椎动物的大脑更复杂。
陆生脊椎动物
Terrestrial vertebrates like lizards and birds have adapted to life on land.
蜥蜴和鸟类等陆生脊椎动物已经适应了陆地生活。
Use vertebrate naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
看见 vertebrate 里的 vertebra（椎骨）就想到一串脊椎骨，有脊椎骨的动物就是脊椎动物；前面加 in- 的 invertebrate 则是无脊椎动物。
语域：neutral 常见场景：biology、science textbooks、nature documentaries 该词是科学术语，通常用于生物学、科普或教学场景，在正式书面语中比较常见；日常口语中一般说 animal with a backbone。
真正押韵的词（与 vertebrate 末尾的 /breɪt/ 相同或押韵）：invertebrate /ɪnˈvɝtəˌbreɪt/、vibrate /ˈvaɪˌbreɪt/、celebrate /ˈsɛləˌbreɪt/；debate /dɪˈbeɪt/ 也押韵（少一个 r 音，重读元音相同）。拼写相似但发音不同：vertebra /ˈvɝtəbrə/、vertebral /vɝˈtiːbrəl/，注意不要误读为 /breɪt/。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.