'non-vertebrate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'vertebratus,' where 'vertebra' meant 'joint' or 'backbone,' and the prefix 'non-' indicates absence.

'vertebratus' transformed into the English word 'vertebrate,' and with the addition of the prefix 'non-,' it became 'non-vertebrate.'

Initially, it meant 'without a backbone,' and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.