rarity

[ rair-i-tee ]

/ ˈrɛər ɪ ti /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rarity ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural rar·i·ties.

something rare, unusual, or uncommon: Snowstorms are a rarity in the South.

something esteemed or interesting in being rare, uncommon, or curious: That folio is a rarity that will bring a good price.

the state or quality of being rare.

rare occurrence; infrequency: Volcanic eruptions on the island occur with great rarity.

unusual excellence.

thinness, as of air or a gas.

Nearby words

Origin of rarity

1550–60; < Latin rāritās thinness, equivalent to rār(us) rare¹ + -itās -ity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rarity

The price reflects its rarity as well, but also the finicky, difficult, and nuanced process of making Champagne.
Champagne: You’re Drinking It All Wrong|Kayleigh Kulp|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Servin is a rarity: A cop who is being tried for his lethal actions.
Chicago’s Cops Don’t Even Get Investigated for Shooting People in the Back|Justin Glawe|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still, sci-fi and fantasy that is actually motivated by the issues surrounding women is a rarity.
Science-Fiction TV Finds a New Muse: Feminism|David Levesley|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These films tend to be a rarity in Hollywood, and usually come in smaller indie packages.
The Resurrection of Kristen Stewart|Marlow Stern|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

She stressed the rarity of lifetime alimony and said that she believes that in a number of instances alimony remains a necessity.
Is Alimony Anti-Feminist?|Keli Goff|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Strange to say, in crossing the higher parts of the Andes not one of the party suffered from the rarity of the air.
The Rover of the Andes|R.M. Ballantyne
One such instance is worth repeating here, if only for its rarity.
The Myths and Fables of To-Day|Samuel Adams Drake
On account of the continuous ascent and the rarity of the atmosphere we have to rest every twenty or thirty steps.
Mount Rainier|Various
The rarity of such work as this greatly increases the importance of these Lincoln sculptures.
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lincoln|A. F. Kendrick
A variety in shade occurs, of some degree of rarity, printed in carmine.
Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery|Clifton Armstrong Howes

British Dictionary definitions for rarity

rarity

/ (ˈrɛərɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

a rare person or thing, esp something interesting or valued because it is uncommon

the state or quality of being rare

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for rarity

rarity

early 15c., "thinness;" 1550s, "fewness," from Middle French rarité or directly from Latin raritas "thinness, looseness of texture; fewness," from rarus (see rare (adj.1)). Sense of "a rare thing or event" is from 1590s.

rarity

noun, plural rar·i·ties.

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Origin of rarity

Examples from the Web for rarity

rarity

noun plural -ties

rarity