rare 1
— rareness , n.
/rair/ , adj., rarer, rarest .
1. coming or occurring far apart in time; unusual; uncommon: a rare disease; His visits are rare occasions.
2. thinly distributed over an area; few and widely separated: Lighthouses are rare on that part of the coast.
3. having the component parts not closely compacted together; not dense: rare gases; lightheaded from the rare mountain air.
4. unusually great: a rare display of courage.
5. unusually excellent; admirable; fine: She showed rare tact in inviting them.
[ 1350-1400; ME rarus loose, wide apart, thin, infrequent ]
Syn. 1. exceptional, extraordinary, singular. 2. sparse, infrequent. 5. choice, incomparable, inimitable.
Ant. 1. common. 2. frequent. 5. inferior.
rare 2
— rareness , n.
/rair/ , adj., rarer, rarest .
(of meat) cooked just slightly: He likes his steak rare.
[ 1645-55; var. of earlier rear, ME rere, OE hrer lightly boiled ]
rare 3
/rair/ , v.i. , rared, raring . Older Use.
rear 2 (def. 6).