rare earth

noun

1

: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals

2

: rare earth element

Examples of rare earth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 21st-century economy — from our smartphones and F-35 fighter jets to wind turbines and electric vehicles — runs on 17 obscure metals known as rare earth elements. —Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026

To boost the country’s supply chains, China will continue investing in rare earths, rare metals and superhard materials to maintain a competitive edge, the report said. —Josh Xiao, Bloomberg, 5 Mar. 2026

China has about a third of the world’s rare earth reserves but a near monopoly on supplies. —ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026

One of the topics on the agenda will be rare earths. —Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rare earth

• afterbirth
• berth
• birth
• dearth
• firth
• girth
• mirth
• worth
• childbirth
• rebirth
• stillbirth
• tamworth

Medical Definition

rare earth

noun

ˌrer-ˈərth 

1

: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals

2

: rare earth element