What does specie mean?
“Specie” is a rare noun with two closely related historical uses. Its principal modern sense appears in the phrase “in specie,” meaning in actual money or commodities rather than in paper currency, credit, or another representative form. In legal and financial contexts, the expression can distinguish payment in coins or bullion from payment by cheque, transfer, or contractual promise. “Specie” is also recorded as the archaic singular of “species,” once used for an individual kind or type of organism. Today, however, “species” itself is standard for a biological group and normally has the same form in the singular and plural. The specialized monetary meaning is precise but uncommon, while the taxonomic singular is obsolete in ordinary usage. Although dictionaries retain “specie” because it appears in established legal, financial, and historical language, most speakers encounter it chiefly through the Latin-derived phrase “in specie,” literally “in kind.”
nounChiefly in the phrase “in specie,” money in coins or bullion rather than in paper money or another form of credit. The singular of “species” is also recorded in archaic usage.
- Money consisting of coins or bullion, especially when contrasted with paper money or credit.
- The archaic singular form of “species,” used for a kind or type of organism.
"The agreement required the debt to be settled in specie."
"The customs officer accepted payment in specie rather than in banknotes."
"The naturalist compared each specie with the descriptions in the field guide."
The form is the same as the modern singular and plural of “species”; its use with the rare noun “specie” reflects the historical singular–plural relationship.
"Three species of beetle were found in the sample."
In specie comes straight from Latin and literally means “in kind.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does specie come from?
The word ultimately comes from Latin, whose “species” originally referred to an appearance or form and came to mean a kind or class. The expression “in specie” derives from the Latin ablative singular “in specīe,” literally “in kind,” and came to be used for payment made in actual money or commodities. English also formerly used “specie” as the singular form of “species,” reflecting the older grammatical treatment of the Latin term.
How specie is actually used
The financial sense is formal, specialized, and now encountered almost exclusively in the established phrase “in specie.” The singular taxonomic sense is archaic and rarely used in modern English.
Easily confused with specie
“Species” is the usual singular and plural form for a biological group or taxonomic rank, while “specie” is rare and survives chiefly in the financial phrase “in specie.”