Definition of "spineless" [spine•less]

• Lacking courage or willpower. (adjective)
• Biology Having no spiny processes. (adjective)
• Biology Lacking a spinal column; invertebrate. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "She smiled as she made the word "spineless" into a compliment."
• "To sum up this view in a single word: we wish we had a nickel for every time a blogger modified the word "moderate" with the word "spineless.""
• "The spineless is a little tame, but it's still a good foil for other vegetables and sauces."