rare

1
[ rair ]
/ rɛər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR rare ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, rar·er, rar·est.

coming or occurring far apart in time; unusual; uncommon: a rare disease; His visits are rare occasions.
thinly distributed over an area; few and widely separated: Lighthouses are rare on that part of the coast.
having the component parts not closely compacted together; not dense: rare gases; lightheaded from the rare mountain air.
unusually great: a rare display of courage.
unusually excellent; admirable; fine: She showed rare tact in inviting them.

Origin of rare

1
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin rārus loose, wide apart, thin, infrequent

OTHER WORDS FROM rare

rare·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rare

extinct rare scarce

Words nearby rare

raptured, rapturous, raptus, rar, rara avis, rare, rare bird, a, rare book, rare earth, rare gas, rare-earth element

Definition for rare (2 of 3)

rare 2
[ rair ]
/ rɛər /

adjective, rar·er, rar·est.

(of meat) cooked just slightly: He likes his steak rare.

Origin of rare

2
1645–55; variant of earlier rear, Middle English rere, Old English hrēr lightly boiled

OTHER WORDS FROM rare

rare·ness, noun

Definition for rare (3 of 3)

rare 3
[ rair ]
/ rɛər /

verb (used without object), rared, rar·ing. Older Use.

rear2(def 6).

Words related to rare

limited, unusual, singular, uncommon, occasional, extraordinary, strange, unlikely, subtle, scarce, unique, unthinkable, great, delicate, rich, priceless, exquisite, attenuate, deficient, few

Example sentences from the Web for rare

British Dictionary definitions for rare (1 of 2)

rare 1
/ (rɛə) /

adjective

Derived forms of rare

rareness, noun

Word Origin for rare

C14: from Latin rārus sparse

British Dictionary definitions for rare (2 of 2)

rare 2
/ (rɛə) /

adjective

(of meat, esp beef) very lightly cooked

Word Origin for rare

Old English hrēr; perhaps related to hreaw raw