rare β not occurring very often; uncommon or unusual
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not occurring very often; uncommon or unusual
Pronunciation (IPA): /rer/
Example Sentences
- Finding a parking spot downtown is as rare as finding a unicorn.
- My mom's compliments are rare, but when they come, they're worth their weight in gold.
- It's rare for him to arrive on time for meetings.
rare
ADJECTIVE[/rer/]
not occurring very often; uncommon or unusual
The museum displayed a rare diamond from centuries ago.
A rare solar eclipse attracted people from around the world. (RARE = HARD TO FIND β something uncommon and difficult to find)
When something is rare, people share it and treat it with care.
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π€Pronunciation
π³Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'rarus', originally meaning 'thinly woven' or 'sparse'. Over time, the sense metaphorically extended to denote scarcity and infrequency, developing into the modern meaning of 'uncommon' or 'scarce'.
Breakdown
Latin 'rarus' (thinly woven, sparse) forms the root, which gradually shifted its semantic focus from physical texture to absence or infrequency, yielding the English adjective 'rare' with its primary sense of 'seldom found or occurring'.
π΅Rhyme
πCollocations
πExamples
βFinding a parking spot downtown is as rare as finding a unicorn.β
βMy mom's compliments are rare, but when they come, they're worth their weight in gold.β
βIt's rare for him to arrive on time for meetings.β
βShe has a rare talent for languages.β
πRelated Words
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Antonyms
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