# species

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈspiːʃiːz/ · frequency rank #1,505

## Definitions
1. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
2. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
3. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
4. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
5. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
6. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
7. An image, an appearance, a spectacle.
8. An image, an appearance, a spectacle.
9. Either of the two elements of the Eucharist after they have been consecrated.
10. Coin, or coined silver, gold, or other metal, used as a circulating medium; specie.
11. A component part of compound medicine; a simple.

## Etymology
From Latin speciēs (“appearance; quality”), from speciō (“see”) + -iēs suffix signifying abstract noun. Doublet of spice.

## Easily confused with
- **spies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-spies)
- **specs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-specs)
- **spices** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-spices)
- **specify** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-specify)
- **specter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-specter)
- **speeches** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-speeches)
- **specimen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-specimen)
- **specimens** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/species-vs-specimens)
- **series** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/series-vs-species)
- **spaces** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaces-vs-species)
- **special** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/special-vs-species)

## Common misspellings (10)
`psecies`, `sepcies`, `spceies`, `speccies`, `speceis`, `speciess`, `specise`, `speices`, `sppecies`, `sspecies`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/species