Specie

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈspiːʃi/

Originally in the phrase in specie; from Latin speciē, ablative singular of species. Compare payment in kind.

Full definition of specie

Noun

1. Type or kind, in various uses of the phrase in specie.
2. Money, especially in the form of coins made from precious metal, that has an intrinsic value; coinage.
• 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 805:‘It was not money or specie he thought himself hunting!’
• 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 8:“Dick” Counterfly had absquatulated swiftly into the night, leaving his son with only a pocketful of specie and the tender admonition, “Got to ‘scram,’ kid — write if you get work.”

back-formation from species plural, the final "s" being misinterpreted as a plural ending.

Noun

1. (nonstandard) Singular of species

Usage notes

Although in wide use, this is universally considered by prescriptive references to be an error- it is better to use the standard singular, species, instead.

Anagrams

• pieces