rare
1[ rair ]
/ rɛər /
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.
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Origin of rare
11350–1400; Middle English <Latin rārus loose, wide apart, thin, infrequent
SYNONYMS FOR rare
OTHER WORDS FROM rare
rareness, nounWords nearby rare
Definition for rare (2 of 3)
rare2
[ rair ]
/ rɛər /
adjective, rar·er, rar·est.
(of meat) cooked just slightly: He likes his steak rare.
Origin of rare
21645–55; variant of earlier rear,Middle English rere,Old English hrēr lightly boiled
OTHER WORDS FROM rare
rareness, nounDefinition for rare (3 of 3)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
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British Dictionary definitions for rare (1 of 2)
rare1
/ (rɛə) /
adjective
Derived forms of rare
rareness, nounWord Origin for rare
C14: from Latin rārus sparse
British Dictionary definitions for rare (2 of 2)
rare2
/ (rɛə) /
adjective
(of meat, esp beef) very lightly cooked
Word Origin for rare
Old English hrēr; perhaps related to hreaw raw
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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