subspecies

American  

[suhb-spee-sheez, suhb-spee-] / ˈsʌbˌspi ʃiz, sʌbˈspi- /

noun

• subspecies
  plural

1. a subdivision of a species, especially a geographical or ecological subdivision.

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subspecies British  

/ ˈsʌbˌspiːʃiːz /

noun

1. ssp. biology a taxonomic group that is a subdivision of a species: usually occurs because of isolation within a species

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subspecies Scientific  

/ sŭb′spē′shēz,-sēz /

1. A subdivision of a species of organisms, usually based on geographic distribution. The subspecies name is written in lowercase italics following the species name. For example, Gorilla gorilla gorilla is the western lowland gorilla, and Gorilla gorilla graueri is the eastern lowland gorilla.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subspecific
  adjective
• subspecifically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• subspecies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of subspecies

First recorded in 1690–1700; sub- + species

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subspecies

The critically endangered subspecies, once found across the Middle East, Central Asia and India, now survives in very small numbers in Iran.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

Over time, M. aurita had been reclassified as a subspecies of the Chinese pangolin.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

The subspecies of Aedes aegypti now established across large swaths of the U.S. began its evolutionary journey in sub-Saharan Africa.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

Santa Rosa Island is also home to a lizard species found on three of the Channel Islands, a spotted skunk endemic to two Channel Islands, a unique island fox subspecies and several uncommon birds.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

I had cousins in California and Oregon whose parents were basically a subspecies of helicopter, they hovered so much.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

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