rare
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,794 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,103 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness a rare wordrare books
- recurring only at long intervals a rare appearancetotal eclipses are rare events
- not widely distributed rare herbsrare patches of green in the desert
- having low density also: rarefied, rarified rare gasseslightheaded from the rarefied mountain air
- marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind also: uncommon what is so rare as a day in Junea rare skill
- (of meat) cooked a short time; still red inside rare roast beef
rare in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Set your springes, for these red birds are rare game.
Representative Plays by American Dramatists — Love in '76 · Oliver Bell Bunce · Chapter 1
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And by His care, His love so rare, From sorrow thou art freed.
Cornelli · Johanna Spyri · Chapter 1
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Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old plant is the ivy green.
Poems Every Child Should Know · Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) [Editor] Burt · Chapter 1
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Everything around was rare and beautiful, but the Prince scarcely raised his eyes to all these wonders.
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
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Mrs Drassilis was connected with money on all sides, but could only obtain it in rare and minute quantities.
The Little Nugget · P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse · Chapter 1