rarefied

American  

[rair-uh-fahyd] / ˈrɛər əˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. extremely high or elevated; lofty; exalted.

   the rarefied atmosphere of a scholarly symposium.

2. of, belonging to, or appealing to an exclusive group; select; esoteric.

   rarefied tastes.

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rarefied British  

/ ˈrɛərɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. exalted in nature or character; lofty

   a rarefied spiritual existence

2. current within only a small group; esoteric or exclusive

3. (of a gas, esp the atmosphere at high altitudes) having a low density; thin

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Other Word Forms

• ultrararefied adjective
• unrarefied adjective

Etymology

Origin of rarefied

First recorded in 1660–70; rarefy + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Trial testimony provided a window into the rarefied world of high-stakes poker, with jurors hearing of gamblers in Asia who went by the names “Chairman” and “Tango.”

From The Wall Street Journal

They'll drop to second if France beat Italy on Sunday, but second after three games is rarefied air for Gregor Townsend and his team.

From BBC

The last time Ireland visited Allianz Stadium, in 2024, they had just equalled England's Six Nations record of 11 straight wins and were chasing the rarefied air of back-to-back Grand Slams.

From BBC

The veteran prop, 36, will enter rarefied air on Sunday when he takes the field in Christchurch against the Canterbury Crusaders as he closes in on the all-time appearance record of 202.

From Barron's

Pilots log hundreds of hours chasing imaginary cars, bikes, and skiers through digital landscapes to practice—so that when the whole world is watching, they can reach their own rarefied plane of athletic zen.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• esoteric
• exalted
• lofty