specie
1 Americannoun
idioms
noun
noun
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coin money, as distinguished from bullion or paper money
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(of money) in coin
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in kind
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law in the actual form specified
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Etymology
Origin of specie1
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin (in) speciē “(in) kind”; see species
Origin of specie2
By back formation, construing species as plural noun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Until recently, the only non-human species of mammals that were known to experience menopause were a select few specie, such as orcas — not primates.
From Salon • Dec. 11, 2023
The tipping point came in late 1818, when the Bank of the United States sought specie from its debtor banks to make the final payment for Louisiana.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
Faced with panic, banks froze credit and suspended specie payments, sending the economy into recession.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
The value of banknotes depended on the issuing bank’s ability to keep its promise and exchange them for specie, and those of the national bank were the most dependable.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
Quintilian goes on to argue, interestingly, that sometimes what might be decorous in practical terms could be unbecoming sub specie aeternitate.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
