species

[ spee-sheez, -seez ]
See synonyms for species on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural spe·cies.
  1. a class of individuals having some common characteristics or qualities; distinct sort or kind.

  2. Biology. the major subdivision of a genus or subgenus, regarded as the basic category of biological classification, composed of related individuals that resemble one another, are able to breed among themselves, but are not able to breed with members of another species.

  1. Logic.

    • one of the classes of things included with other classes in a genus.

    • the set of things within one of these classes.

  2. Ecclesiastical.

    • the external form or appearance of the bread or the wine in the Eucharist.

    • either of the Eucharistic elements.

  3. Obsolete. specie; coin.

  4. the species, the human race; humankind: a study of the species.

adjective
  1. Horticulture. pertaining to a plant that is a representative member of a species, one that is not a hybrid or variety: a species rose; a species gladiolus.

Origin of species

1
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin speciēs “appearance, form, sort, kind,” equivalent to spec(ere) “to look, regard” + -iēs abstract noun suffix

Other words from species

  • su·per·spe·cies, noun, plural su·per·spe·cies.
  • un·der·spe·cies, noun, plural un·der·spe·cies.

Words that may be confused with species

Words Nearby species

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use species in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for species

species

/ (ˈspiːʃiːz, Latin ˈspiːʃɪˌiːz) /


nounplural -cies
  1. biology

    • any of the taxonomic groups into which a genus is divided, the members of which are capable of interbreeding: often containing subspecies, varieties, or races. A species is designated in italics by the genus name followed by the specific name, for example Felis domesticus (the domestic cat): Abbreviation: sp

    • the animals of such a group

    • any group of related animals or plants not necessarily of this taxonomic rank

  2. (modifier) denoting a plant that is a natural member of a species rather than a hybrid or cultivar: a species clematis

  1. logic a group of objects or individuals, all sharing at least one common attribute, that forms a subdivision of a genus

  2. a kind, sort, or variety: a species of treachery

  3. mainly RC Church the outward form of the bread and wine in the Eucharist

  4. obsolete an outward appearance or form

  5. obsolete specie

Origin of species

1
C16: from Latin: appearance, from specere to look

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for species

species

[ spēshēz, spēsēz ]


  1. A group of organisms having many characteristics in common and ranking below a genus. Organisms that reproduce sexually and belong to the same species interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Species names are usually written lower case and in italics, as rex in Tyrannosaurus rex. See Table at taxonomy.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for species

species

[ (spee-sheez, spee-seez) ]


A group of closely related and interbreeding living things; the smallest standard unit of biological classification. Species can be divided into varieties, races, breeds, or subspecies. Red pines, sugar maples, cats, dogs, chimpanzees, and people are species; Siamese cats and beagles are varieties, not species. (See Linnean classification.)

Notes for species

The term can be used to refer to any group of related things: “This species of novel has become quite popular in recent years.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with species

species

see endangered species.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.