species

Everyday

1. A group of living things that are alike and can breed together to have young that can also have young: Lions are one species, tigers another. tree →
2. (informal) A kind or sort. tree →

In the lessons

In science, species is the basic group in classifying life: humans are the species Homo sapiens. Endangered species are at risk of dying out; extinct species are gone. In maths problems species are counted: «The zoo has 12 species of monkey.» In everyday nature lessons, protecting species protects habitats.

Examples

• The giant panda is an endangered species. tree →
• Scientists find new species every year. tree →
• There are many species of bird in the park. tree →
• The dodo is an extinct species. tree →
• Humans belong to the species Homo sapiens. tree →
• The zoo has 8 species of reptile and 5 of amphibian — 13 species in all. tree →
• They belong to the goose species, one can see that by their walk. tree →

Note

Plural is the same: one species, two species («specie» is a different word for coins, not the singular!). Say SPEE-sheez. Species names are written in italics with a capital first word: Homo sapiens.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means a kind or type of thing, not a biological species.

Interpretation. Sefer Yetzirah describes the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom, and the Twelfth Path is the Intelligence of Transparency. Tradition reads these paths as stages of how God made the world.

Examples

• The Twelfth Path is the Intelligence of Transparency, because it is that species of Magnificence., called CHAZCHAZIT, which is named the place whence issues the vision of those seeing in apparitions. (That is, the prophecies by seers in a vision.) (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →

Note

Plural is the same: one species, two species («specie» is a different word for coins, not the singular!). Say SPEE-sheez. Species names are written in italics with a capital first word: Homo sapiens.