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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

species

/ˈspiʃiz/

Press play to hear how to pronounce species.

American Pronunciation Guide · 0:33
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Start with a strong “spee” and finish with “z.”

Use two syllables and a sh sound for the ci spelling. Keep the final ee unstressed, and voice the last s as z rather than leaving it unvoiced.

2 syllables · Stress on syllable 1

TRY SAYING
The guide lists each species by name.

APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

What does species mean?

noun

  1. A type or kind. (Compare race.)
  2. A group of sexually reproducing organisms of which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction, usually having similar appearance.
  3. A category in the classification of organisms, ranking below genus; a taxon at that rank.
More meanings (9)

noun

  1. An individual or kind of a biological species.
  2. A particular type of atom, molecule, ion or other particle.
  3. A mineral with a unique chemical formula whose crystals belong to a unique crystallographic system.
  4. Either of the two elements of the Eucharist after they have been consecrated.
  5. Coin, or coined silver, gold, or other metal, used as a circulating medium; specie.
  6. A component part of compound medicine; a simple.
  7. plural of specie
  8. (obsolete) The image of something cast on a surface, or reflected from a surface, or refracted through a lens or telescope; a reflection.
  9. (obsolete) Visible or perceptible presentation; appearance; something perceived.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈspiʃiz/

Pronunciation used in the listening tip.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

At the expiration of a quarter of an hour it seemed as though that species of stormy roar were becoming more distant.
Victor HugoLes MisérablesTranslated by Isabel Florence HapgoodProject Gutenberg ebook #135
Berries and plums abound in season, and quail and grouse and deer—the magnificent shaggy mule deer as well as the common species.
John MuirSteep TrailsProject Gutenberg ebook #326
More book examples (3)
Then and there a fatal breach was made in the great theological barrier of the continued fixity of species since the creation.
Andrew Dickson WhiteHistory of the Warfare of Science with Theology in ChristendomProject Gutenberg ebook #505
Observe then the difference between my acquaintance with the phenomena of the material universe, and with the individuals of my own species.
William GodwinThoughts on Man, His Nature, Productions and Discoveries Interspersed with Some Particulars Respecting the AuthorProject Gutenberg ebook #743
In some cases the antipathy or the idiosyncrasy develops to such an extent as to be in itself a species of monomania.
George M. (George Milbrey) Gould; Walter L. (Walter Lytle) PyleAnomalies and Curiosities of MedicineProject Gutenberg ebook #747