: 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
2
: the consecrated eucharistic elements of the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Eucharist
3
a
: a mental image
also: a sensible object
b
: an object of thought correlative with a natural object
Noun There are approximately 8,000 species of ants. All European domestic cattle belong to the same species. laws that protect endangered species
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In her lifetime, our species slipped the bonds of sanity and gravity, planting men on the Moon and atomic weapons in silos. Dominic Green, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Hunting, especially in mountainous terrain, is a dangerous way to make a living; the bones of Neanderthals and ancient members of our own species reveal that people got banged up fairly often during the Pleistocene. Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2022 As the pandemic has shown, our species is prone to kicking the can down the road, to selfishly putting off the change and sacrifice needed to avoid collective future catastrophe. William Falk, The Week, 3 Sep. 2022 Within their species, there are more than 1,000 varieties of lilacs, including some trees. Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022 In Kyoto, Japan, one of its native cherry tree species' full bloom dates were the earliest on record, dating back to 801. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2022 Outdoors, a slate patio and 10-foot-deep in-ground swimming pool adjoin a bountiful garden with Maryland champion trees, which are typically described as being among the largest of their species in the state. Michelle Deal-zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2022 There are numerous low-probability, high-cost risks to our species. Evan Coopersmith, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 Rather, her speculations act as a provocative form of scientific inquiry, probing incredulously at the conventions of her species.WIRED, 26 Aug. 2022
Adjective
And that gives the researchers a chance to avoid one of the bigger challenges in cross-species sleep studies. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 8 Aug. 2022 No one had considered such cross-species vulnerability because human infections with monkeypox had not previously been detected outside of West and Central Africa.Wired, 5 Aug. 2022 Zaleski introduced us to another cross-species couple: a donkey, Jethro, and a very kissable llama named Lorenzo.CBS News, 3 July 2022 According to officials, this type of cross-species infection is uncommon. Daedan Olander, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2022 This is a call for cross-species solidarity and to consider veganism alongside other social justice movements on the left.Longreads, 5 May 2022 Researchers said not all viruses will spread to humans or become pandemics the scale of the coronavirus but the number of cross-species viruses increases the risk of spread to humans. Drew Costley, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2022 Researchers said not all viruses will spread to humans or become pandemics the scale of the coronavirus but the number of cross-species viruses increases the risk of spread to humans.NBC News, 28 Apr. 2022 The researchers suggest at least 15,000 new cross-species viral transmissions are forecast to happen by 2070, driven by climate change of 2-degrees Celsius, which is the worst-case scenario highlighted under the Paris Agreement. Byjulia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Latin, appearance, kind, species, from specere to look — more at spy