[ 'spi:ʃi:z , -ʃɪz , 'spi:s- ]
■ noun ( plural same)
1》 Biology a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or of interbreeding, considered as the basic unit of taxonomy and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g. Homo sapiens .
2》 a kind or sort.
3》 Christian Church the visible form of each of the elements of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist.
Origin
ME: from L., lit. 'appearance, form, beauty', from specere 'to look'.