Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. species(noun)

   (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed

2. species(noun)

   a specific kind of something

   "a species of molecule"; "a species of villainy"

Wiktionary(4.29 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. species(Noun)

   A group of plants or animals having similar appearance.

   This species of animal is unique to the area.

2. species(Noun)

   A rank in the classification of organisms, below genus and above subspecies; a taxon at that rank

3. species(Noun)

   A mineral with a unique chemical formula whose crystals belong to a unique crystallographic system.

4. species(Noun)

   The image of something cast on a surface, or reflected from a surface, or refracted through a lens or telescope; a reflection.

   I cast the species of the Sun onto a sheet of paper through a telescope.

5. species(Noun)

   Either of the two elements of the Eucharist after they have been consecrated, so named because they retain the image of the bread and wine before their transubstantiation into the body and blood of Christ.

Origin: From species, from specio + -ies suffix signifying abstract noun.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Species(noun)

   visible or sensible presentation; appearance; a sensible percept received by the imagination; an image

2. Species(noun)

   a group of individuals agreeing in common attributes, and designated by a common name; a conception subordinated to another conception, called a genus, or generic conception, from which it differs in containing or comprehending more attributes, and extending to fewer individuals. Thus, man is a species, under animal as a genus; and man, in its turn, may be regarded as a genus with respect to European, American, or the like, as species

3. Species(noun)

   in science, a more or less permanent group of existing things or beings, associated according to attributes, or properties determined by scientific observation

4. Species(noun)

   a sort; a kind; a variety; as, a species of low cunning; a species of generosity; a species of cloth

5. Species(noun)

   coin, or coined silver, gold, ot other metal, used as a circulating medium; specie

6. Species(noun)

   a public spectacle or exhibition

7. Species(noun)

   a component part of compound medicine; a simple

8. Species(noun)

   an officinal mixture or compound powder of any kind; esp., one used for making an aromatic tea or tisane; a tea mixture

9. Species(noun)

   the form or shape given to materials; fashion or shape; form; figure

Origin: [L., a sight, outward appearance, shape, form, a particular sort, kind, or quality, a species. See Spice, n., and cf. Specie, Special.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Species

   In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, the difficulty of defining species is known as the species problem. Differing measures are often used, such as similarity of DNA, morphology, or ecological niche. Presence of specific locally adapted traits may further subdivide species into "infraspecific taxa" such as subspecies. Species hypothesized to have the same ancestors are placed in one genus, based on similarities. The similarity of species is judged based on comparison of physical attributes, especially their DNA sequences, where available. All species are given a two-part name, a "binomial name". The first part of a binomial name is the generic name, the genus of the species. The second part is either called the specific name or the specific epithet. For example, Boa constrictor is one of four species of the Boa genus. The first part of the name is capitalized, and the second part has a lower case. The binomial name is written in italics when printed and underlined when handwritten.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'species' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1003

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'species' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3999

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'species' in Nouns Frequency: #471

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of species in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of species in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Samuel Johnson:

   Grief is a species of idleness.

2. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu:

   We are threatened to become a species in extinction.

3. Matt Gage:

   Why should any species waste all that effort on sons?

4. Rudyard Kipling:

   The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

5. Professor Lee Berger:

   I give you a new species of human - ‘ homo naledi, ’.

Images & Illustrations of species