n.
Pronunciation: ˌ sp ē -sh ē - ' ā -sh ə n, -s ē -
Function: noun
Date: 1906
: the process of biological species formation
– spe · ci · ate \ ' sp ē -sh ē - ˌ ā t, -s ē - \ intransitive verb
– spe · ci · a · tion · al \ ˌ sp ē -sh ē - ' ā -shn ə l, -s ē -, -sh ə -n ə l \ adjective