Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The formation of new biological species through the process of evolution.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun biology The process by which new distinct species evolve.
  • noun chemistry The formation of different (inorganic) species, for example in a gas.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the evolution of a biological species

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[speci(es) + –ation.]

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Examples

  • The actual moment when a "daughter" species can (or will) no longer cross-breed with the population from which it sprang (the definition of speciation) is almost impossible to pinpoint, let alone to witness.

    New Flavors of Flying Capuchinos 2011

  • If I understand front loading at all (please correct any misapprehension), the information necessary to produce speciation is already present from being pre-loaded and waiting for the appropriate moment to kick in.

    Change the label 2008

  • Alan Fox: If I understand front loading at all (please correct any misapprehension), the information necessary to produce speciation is already present from being pre-loaded and waiting for the appropriate moment to kick in.

    Change the label 2008

  • Ken Miller, if he really wanted to, could cite 'intelligent cause' to explain speciation – and then cite any and all of the mainstream proposals as mechanism.

    Bunny and a Book 2008

  • Ken Miller, if he really wanted to, could cite 'intelligent cause' to explain speciation – and then cite any and all of the mainstream proposals as mechanism.

    Bunny and a Book 2008

  • Those macroevolutionary mechanisms that are involved in speciation and above fit right in with the theory.

    A New Weapon Against Freedom and ID: Volksverhetzung 2007

  • Although there are differences in the definition of species that complicate a claim of speciation, it has not been any part of my claim that speciation is excluded.

    Behe: ID rescues Common Descent 2007

  • Although there are differences in the definition of species that complicate a claim of speciation, it has not been any part of my claim that speciation is excluded.

    Behe: ID rescues Common Descent 2007

  • That means that the same processes which result in speciation also result in the creation of different genera, families, orders, etc. (that is, "higher taxa" than species).

    Sound Politics: More on Cantwell & ID 2006

  • The importance of recent ice ages in speciation: a failed paradigm.

    Archive 2006-03-01 Darren Naish 2006

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