rarity
Americannoun
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something rare, unusual, or uncommon.
Snowstorms are a rarity in the South.
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something esteemed or interesting in being rare, uncommon, or curious.
That folio is a rarity that will bring a good price.
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the state or quality of being rare.
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rare occurrence; infrequency.
Volcanic eruptions on the island occur with great rarity.
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unusual excellence.
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thinness, as of air or a gas.
noun
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a rare person or thing, esp something interesting or valued because it is uncommon
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the state or quality of being rare
Etymology
Origin of rarity
1550–60; < Latin rāritās thinness, equivalent to rār ( us ) rare 1 + -itās -ity
Vocabulary lists containing rarity
"My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning
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"The Tempest," Vocabulary from Acts 1 and 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although less deadly than other Ebola species, the rarity of Bundibugyo means there are fewer tools to stop it.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
"Despite their rarity, these exchanges matter for the long-term health of whale populations," Griffith University PhD researcher and report co-author Stephanie Stack said.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
"Despite their rarity, these exchanges matter for the long-term health of whale populations," Ms. Stack said.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
While the MV Hondius outbreak is serious, the rarity of the virus and the highly specific set of circumstances don’t currently indicate a broader threat likely to spread rapidly across multiple ships.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
He was wearing his black master’s robes, which was something of a rarity.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
