Specie vs. Species — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 31, 2023
"Specie" refers to money in the form of coins, while "Species" denotes a group of living organisms sharing common characteristics. Both words have different meanings and usages.
Difference Between Specie and Species
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Specie" and "Species" are often confused due to their phonetic similarities. However, "Specie" primarily denotes coined money or coinage. Historically, the term was used to describe money that was valued by the weight of the metal it was made of, as opposed to paper currency which might not have intrinsic value. On the other hand, "Species" is a term extensively used in the realms of biology and taxonomy.
The word "Species" denotes a group of individual organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. These organisms generally share a set of common characteristics which set them apart from other species. Contrarily, "Specie" has no relation to living organisms or biology. Its domain of relevance is mainly economic or financial, often relating to periods where metal coins were a primary form of currency.
Grammatically, "Species" is unique. It serves as both the singular and plural form. For example, one might say "That species is endangered," or "Several species are endangered." "Specie," though not commonly used today in daily conversation, does not change in plural form either.
In essence, while "Specie" and "Species" may sound similar, their meanings, usages, and contexts differ vastly. "Specie" is firmly rooted in the context of coinage and money, whereas "Species" is an integral term in the biological classification of living organisms.
Comparison Chart
Meaning
Money in the form of coins
A group of living organisms with common traits
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Domain
Economic/Financial
Biology/Taxonomy
Relation to Living Organisms
None
Direct, as it classifies living organisms
Plurality
Same as singular (specie)
Same for both singular and plural (species)
Example Usage
Payments in specie
A new species of frog
Compare with Definitions
Specie
Metal coinage as opposed to paper money.
The country returned to specie after the paper currency devalued.
Species
A group of living organisms with shared characteristics.
The tiger is a species under the genus Panthera.
Specie
Money in coined form.
The treasury stored the specie in a fortified vault.
Species
A distinct type or kind.
The plant is a rare species found only in this region.
Specie
Coined metal considered by weight.
The specie was evaluated based on its weight and metal purity.
Species
A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g. Homo sapiens.
Specie
A medium of exchange using coins.
The agreement was to make all payments in specie.
Species
A kind or sort
A species of invective at once tough and suave
Specie
Physical currency with intrinsic value.
The nation's specie was primarily made of gold and silver.
Species
The visible form of each of the elements of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist.
Specie
Coined money; coin.
Species
(Biology) A group of closely related organisms that are very similar to each other and are usually capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. The species is the fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking below a genus or subgenus. Species names are represented in binomial nomenclature by an uncapitalized Latin adjective or noun following a capitalized genus name, as in Ananas comosus, the pineapple, and Equus caballus, the horse.
Specie
Type or kind, in various uses of the phrase in specie.
Species
(Logic) A class of individuals or objects grouped by virtue of their common attributes and assigned a common name; a division subordinate to a genus.
Specie
Money, especially in the form of coins made from precious metal, that has an intrinsic value; coinage.
Species
(Chemistry) A set of atoms, molecules, ions, or other chemical entities that possess the same distinct characteristics with respect to a chemical process or measurement.
Specie
(proscribed) species
Species
A kind, variety, or type
"No species of performing artist is as self-critical as a dancer" (Susan Sontag).
Specie
Coin; hard money.
Species
The outward appearance or form of the Eucharistic elements that is retained after their consecration.
Specie
Coins collectively
Species
Either of the consecrated elements of the Eucharist.
Species
Type or kind. race.}}
The male species
A new species of war
Species
A group of plants or animals having similar appearance.
This species of animal is unique to the area.
Species
A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below genus; a taxon at that rank.
Species
A particular type of atom, molecule, ion or other particle.
Species
(mineralogy) A mineral with a unique chemical formula whose crystals belong to a unique crystallographic system.
Species
An image, an appearance, a spectacle.
Species
(obsolete) 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.
Species
Visible or perceptible presentation; appearance; something perceived.
Species
(Christianity) Either of the two elements of the Eucharist after they have been consecrated.
Species
Coin, or coined silver, gold, or other metal, used as a circulating medium; specie.
Species
A component part of compound medicine; a simple.
Species
Plural of specie
Species
Visible or sensible presentation; appearance; a sensible percept received by the imagination; an image.
Wit, . . . the faculty of imagination in the writer, which searches over all the memory for the species or ideas of those things which it designs to represent.
Species
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.
Species
In science, a more or less permanent group of existing things or beings, associated according to attributes, or properties determined by scientific observation.
Species
A sort; a kind; a variety; as, a species of low cunning; a species of generosity; a species of cloth.
Species
Coin, or coined silver, gold, or other metal, used as a circulating medium; specie.
There was, in the splendor of the Roman empire, a less quantity of current species in Europe than there is now.
Species
A public spectacle or exhibition.
Species
A component part of a compound medicine; a simple.
Species
The form or shape given to materials; fashion or shape; form; figure.
Species
(biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
Species
A specific kind of something;
A species of molecule
A species of villainy
Species
The basic unit of classification in taxonomy.
Several species of birds inhabit the rainforest.
Species
Organisms capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring.
Dogs of different breeds belong to the same species.
Species
A category within a genus.
The African elephant and the Asian elephant are two distinct species.
Common Curiosities
Is "specie" commonly used in everyday conversation today?
No, "specie" is an older term, more commonly found in historical contexts.
Is "specie" related to biology?
No, "specie" refers to coined money.
Can "species" refer to both a singular and plural group?
Yes, "species" can be singular or plural.
Can different species typically interbreed?
No, different species usually cannot produce fertile offspring together.
Does "specie" change in its plural form?
No, "specie" remains the same in plural.
What is the key characteristic of a species?
Organisms within a species can typically interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
What's the primary domain for the word "species"?
Biology, particularly in taxonomy.
Is "specie" related to "species"?
No, they have different meanings and origins.
Is paper money considered "specie"?
No, "specie" refers specifically to coined money.
Was "specie" used as a standard for money in history?
Yes, payments in specie refer to payments in coin, especially in contexts like the gold standard.
What denotes a group in taxonomy below genus?
Species.
How many species are there on Earth?
The exact number is unknown, but scientists estimate millions, with many yet to be discovered.
How is a new species usually identified?
Through differences in physical characteristics, DNA, and reproductive capability.
What's a primary use of the term "specie" today?
It's mainly found in historical or economic contexts discussing coin-based currency systems.
Are humans a species?
Yes, humans belong to the species Homo sapiens.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
