rare

1 of 2

adjective (1)

rarer; rarest
1
: seldom occurring or found : uncommon
2
a
: marked by unusual quality, merit, or appeal : distinctive
b
: superlative or extreme of its kind
3
: marked by wide separation of component particles : thin
rare air
rareness noun

rare

2 of 2

adjective (2)

rarer; rarest
: cooked so that the inside is still red
rare roast beef
Choose the Right Synonym for rare

choice, exquisite, elegant, rare, delicate, dainty mean having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste.

choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

choice fabric

exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

an exquisite gold bracelet

elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

a sumptuous but elegant dining room

rare suggests an uncommon excellence.

rare beauty

delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

delicate craftsmanship

dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

dainty sandwiches

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of rare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Verdicts of this nature have been rare for parents facing liability for their child’s actions, such as with neglect or firearms charges. Dalia Faheid, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 In addition, rare basketball cards signed by Michael Jordan will be up for grabs. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 To kick off the exhibition in style, Naomi chose to host a fabulous luncheon at The Dorchester, and wore a particularly rare piece of fashion history for the occasion. Alex Kessler, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 Throughout Australia, fatalities from snake bites remain extremely rare — about two a year — and in Queensland, the reptiles are simply a part of life. Natasha Frost David Maurice Smith, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The findings were astounding: the shell of the fossil measured about 180 cm in length, an incredibly rare occurrence, and far larger than the 140 and 110 cm recorded for today's freshwater turtles. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2024 Pulling another of the rare James cards allowed the brothers to compare the new one to No. 44. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Menopause is rare among animals—females of only six mammal species are known to go through it. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 That’s the rare kind of personal story that everyone can relate to. Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English, from Latin rarus

Adjective (2)

alteration of earlier rere, from Middle English, from Old English hrēre boiled lightly; akin to Old English hrēran to stir, Old High German hruoren

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective (2)

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rare was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rare

Cite this Entry

“Rare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rare. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rare

1 of 2 adjective
ˈra(ə)r How to pronounce rare (audio)
ˈre(ə)r
rarer; rarest
1
: not thick or dense : thin
the atmosphere is rare at high altitudes
2
: very fine : excellent, splendid
a rare June day
3
: very uncommon
rain is rare in the desert
a collection of rare books
rareness noun

rare

2 of 2 adjective
rarer; rarest
: cooked so that the inside is still red
rare roast beef
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English rare "thin," from Latin rarus "rare"

Adjective

Old English hrēre "boiled lightly"

More from Merriam-Webster on rare

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