spineless
spineless Lexical Profile
spineless Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Lacking courage, resolution, or moral strength; weak and easily intimidated.
"Critics accused the committee of making a spineless decision by refusing to enforce the new ethics rules."
Having no backbone or vertebral column; invertebrate.
"Jellyfish and earthworms are spineless creatures that rely on hydrostatic pressure for structural support."
Lacking sharp projections, thorns, or prickles (of a plant or animal).
"The gardener cultivated a spineless variety of prickly pear cactus that is safe to handle without gloves."
• Rhymes for spineless
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the early 17th century, formed from the noun 'spine' (derived from Latin 'spina', meaning 'thorn' or 'backbone') plus the privative suffix '-less'. The figurative sense of lacking moral courage emerged in the mid-19th century.