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¹species

noun spe·cies \ˈspē-(ˌ)shēz, -(ˌ)sēz\

biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

: a particular group of things or people that belong together or have some shared quality

plural species

Full Definition of SPECIES

a : kind, sort

b : a class of individuals having common attributes and designated by a common name; specifically : a logical division of a genus or more comprehensive class <confessing sins in species and in number>

c : the human race : human beings —often used with the <survival of the species in the nuclear age>

d (1) : a category of biological classification ranking immediately below the genus or subgenus, comprising related organisms or populations potentially capable of interbreeding, and being designated by a binomial that consists of the name of a genus followed by a Latin or latinized uncapitalized noun or adjective agreeing grammatically with the genus name (2) : an individual or kind belonging to a biological species

e : a particular kind of atomic nucleus, atom, molecule, or ion

: the consecrated eucharistic elements of the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Eucharist

a : a mental image; also : a sensible object

b : an object of thought correlative with a natural object

See species defined for English-language learners

See species defined for kids

Origin of SPECIES

Middle English, from Latin, appearance, kind, species, from specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SPECIES

Synonyms: bracket, category, classification, division, family, genus, grade, group, kind, league, order, rank(s), rubric, set, class, tier, type

Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt

²species

adjective

Definition of SPECIES

: belonging to a biological species as distinguished from a horticultural variety <a species rose>

First Known Use of SPECIES

1899

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

SPECIES Defined for Kids

species

noun spe·cies \ˈspē-shēz, -sēz\

plural species

Definition of SPECIES for Kids

: a group of similar living things that ranks below the genus in scientific classification and is made up of individuals able to produce offspring with one another <The one-humped camel is a different species from the two-humped camel.>

: a class of things of the same kind and with the same name : kind, sort

Medical Dictionary

species

noun spe·cies \ˈspē-(ˌ)shēz, -(ˌ)sēz\

plural species

Medical Definition of SPECIES

a : a category of biological classification ranking immediately below the genus or subgenus, comprising related organisms or populations potentially capable of interbreeding, and being designated by a binomial that consists of the name of the genus followed by a Latin or latinized uncapitalized noun or adjective agreeing grammatically with the genus name b : an individual or kind belonging to a biological species

: a particular kind of atomic nucleus, atom, molecule, or ion <production of DNA damage by active oxygen species>