scientific name

American  

[sahy-uhn-tif-ik naym] / ˈsaɪ ənˌtɪf ɪk ˈneɪm /

noun

plural

scientific names

1. the name used by scientists for a particular organism, consisting of the genus name followed by the species name, conventionally in italics and with the genus name spelled with a capital letter, the species name with a lower-case letter; taxonomic name, binomial nomenclature.

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scientific name Scientific  

/ sī′ən-tĭf′ĭk /

1. A name used by scientists, especially the taxonomic name of an organism that consists of the genus and species. Scientific names usually come from Latin or Greek. An example is Homo sapiens, the scientific name for humans.

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Other Word Forms

• scientific naming noun

Example Sentences

Lunar regolith is the scientific name for the dusty material that covers the Moon's surface.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

Eventually the arm were identified as belonging to a seven-arm octopus, which has the scientific name Haliphron atlanticus.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

When researchers discovered a gecko that reminded them of the paintings of van Gogh, they gave it the scientific name Cnemaspis vangoghi.

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2024

Separate from WHO’s decision, ICTV’s poxvirus group had a vote on whether to change the scientific name for the virus that causes mpox.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 3, 2024

“The scientific name for polar bears is Ursus maritimus, which means ‘sea bear,’ ” Owen said, shifting back to his tour guide script.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz