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Origin and history of species

species(n.)

late 14c., in logic, "a class of individuals or things," from Latin species "a particular sort, kind, or type" (opposed to genus), originally "a sight, look, view; outward appearance, shape, form," a derivative of specere "to look at, to see, behold" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe"). In English it is attested from 1550s as "appearance, outward form."

Latin species "a sight; outward appearance" had many extended senses, including "a spectacle; a mental appearance, an idea or notion;" also "semblance, pretext; manner, fashion; display, beauty; a likeness or statue; reputation, honor." Typically it was used in passive senses. Also compare spice (n.).

In Late Latin, in logic and legal language, it acquired the meaning "a special case," especially (as a translation of Greek eidos) "a class included under a higher class; a kind; a sort; a number of individuals having common characteristics peculiar to them." The notion (as Lewis & Short puts it) is "The particular thing among many to which the looks are turned."

The English word is attested from 1560s as "a distinct class (of something) based on common characteristics." The specific use in biological sciences in reference to groups of living things recognizably distinct from all others by their inherited characteristics is from c. 1600, but the exact definition never has been settled.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to species

spice(n.)

c. 1200, "vegetable substance aromatic or pungent to the taste added to food or drink to enhance the flavor," also "a spice used as a medication or an alchemical ingredient," from Anglo-French spece, Old French espice (Modern French épice), from Late Latin species (plural) "spices, goods, wares," in classical Latin "kind, sort" (see species, which is a doublet).

From c. 1300 as "an aromatic spice," also "spices as commodities;" from early 14c. as "a spice-bearing plant." Of odors or perfumes by 1560s. The figurative sense of "attractive or enjoyable variation" is from 13c.; that of "slight touch or trace of something" is recorded from 1530s. The meaning "specimen, sample" is from 1790. Early druggists recognized four "types" of spices: saffron, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg.

conspecific(adj.)

"having the character of a conspecies, of the same species but with variations," 1837, from conspecies "a sub-species, a climatic or geographical variety of another" (1837), from con- "with" + specific, here serving as the adjective of species (n.). From 1962 as a noun.

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especial
late 14c., from Old French especial "pre-eminent, important," from Latin specialis "belonging to a particular kind or species," from species "kind" (see species). Latin words with initial sp-, st-, sc- usually acquired an e- in Old French (see e-). Modern French has restored the
special
c. 1200, "given or granted in unusual circumstances, exceptional;" also "specific" as opposed to general or common; from Old French special, especial "special, particular, unusual" (12c., Modern French spécial) and directly from Latin specialis "individual, particular" (source al
specie
"coin, money in the form of coins, metallic money as a medium of exchange" (as opposed to paper money or bullion), 1670s, a noun use from the Medieval Latin phrase in specie "in minted coins" (attested in English by 1610s). This was a specialized sense in reference to money; the
incase
Theory of Incasement, an old theory of reproduction which assumed that when the first animal of each species was created,...the germs of all other individuals of the same species which were to come from it were incased in its ova....
sandalwood
1510s, earlier simply sandell (late 14c.), saundres (early 14c.), "the wood of the heart and roots of certain species of...Sandalwood oil, distilled from the wood of some species, is strongly aromatic and used in perfumes and cosmetics....
evolution
Modern use in biology, of species, first attested 1832 in works of Scottish geologist Charles Lyell....Charles Darwin used the word in print once only, in the closing paragraph of "The Origin of Species" (1859), and preferred...
quail
  Among such, the species of bob-white, as Ortyx virginiana, the common partridge or quail of sportsmen, are the nearest...to the Old World species of Coturnix....
kind
"class, sort, variety," from Old English gecynd "kind, nature, race," related to cynn "family" (see kin), from Proto-Germanic *kundjaz "family, race," from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget," with derivatives referring to procreation and familial and tribal groups. Ælfric's rend
form
c. 1200, forme, fourme, "semblance, image, likeness," from Old French forme, fourme, "physical form, appearance; pleasing looks; shape, image; way, manner" (12c.), from Latin forma "form, contour, figure, shape; appearance, looks; a fine form, beauty; an outline, a model, pattern
from
Old English fram, preposition denoting departure or movement away in time or space, from Proto-Germanic *fra "forward, away from" (source also of Old Saxon, Old High German, Gothic fram "from, away," Old Norse fra "from," fram "forward"), from PIE *pro-mo-, suffixed form of *pro

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