# species

Pronunciation: say "SPEE-sheez" /ˈspiːʃiːz/

## Noun

1. A group of living things that can breed together and produce fertile young; in classification, the basic rank just below genus.
   - Simple: A group of animals or plants of one kind that can breed together. In science, it is the level below genus.
   - _Horses and donkeys are separate species, since the mules they produce are almost always sterile._
   - _Biologists described a new frog species after years of fieldwork._
2. A particular kind, sort, or type of thing.
   - Simple: A particular kind or sort of something.
   - _Her remarks were a peculiar species of flattery._
   - _The contract contained a species of clause rarely seen in modern agreements._
3. A particular kind of atom, molecule, ion, or other particle, considered as a distinct type in chemistry.
   - Simple: A certain kind of atom, molecule, or particle in chemistry.
   - _Chemists identified the reactive species responsible for the color change._
   - _Several charged species coexist in the solution at equilibrium._
4. A mineral distinguished from all others by its particular combination of chemical composition and crystal structure.
   - Simple: A kind of mineral set apart by what it is made of and how its atoms are arranged.
   - _Diamond and graphite are different mineral species, though both are pure carbon._
   - _Geologists confirmed the new species by analyzing its crystal structure._
6. In Christian worship, either of the two elements (the bread or the wine) of the Eucharist after they have been consecrated.
   - Simple: In Christian worship, the bread or wine after it has been blessed.
   - _The faithful received Communion under both species at the Easter vigil._
   - _Church teaching holds that Christ is fully present in each species._

## Noun

5. The visible or perceptible appearance of something; that which is presented to the senses. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The way something looks or appears to someone.
7. Coined money: gold, silver, or other metal struck as coin and used as a circulating medium. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Coins, or money made of gold, silver, or other metal.
8. An image of an object, whether projected onto a surface, reflected from one, or seen through a lens or telescope. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The image of something thrown onto a surface or seen through a lens.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A single component or ingredient that goes into a compound medicine; a simple.

## Origin

The word is Latin speciēs, meaning "appearance" or "quality." Latin built it on speciō ("see") with the abstract-noun suffix -iēs. Species and spice are doublets.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/species (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).