rare
gb/ɹˈɛɹ/ us/ɹˈɛɹ/
A2
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Uncommon or unusual
Not common; not seen or happening often.
Usage pattern:
[something] is rare
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'rare' with 'raw' when talking about food, but 'rare' means uncommon, while 'raw' means uncooked.
Synonyms
uncommon (Slightly more formal; same core meaning of not frequent.)
|
unusual (More emphasis on being different from normal.)
Antonyms
common (Happening often or found in many places.)
|
frequent (Happening often within a short time.)
Collocations
rare opportunity
|rare occasion
|rare species
|rare event
|rare talent
Themes
frequency
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It's rare to see such clear skies in this city.
- She has a rare ability to make everyone feel welcome.
- Finding that book in perfect condition is quite rare.
- They spotted a rare bird in the forest.
- This is a rare chance to meet the author in person.
Learner examples
- It is rare to see snow here.
- That is a rare flower.
- He has a rare skill in music.
- A rainbow is rare in the desert.
- This is a rare day without rain.
adjective
A2
property
2
Lightly cooked meat
Meat that is cooked only a little and still red inside.
Usage pattern:
[meat] is rare
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'rare' here means expensive or special, but in cooking it refers to how much the meat is cooked.
Synonyms
undercooked (General term for not cooked enough; can be negative, unlike 'rare' which is desirable for some meats.)
Antonyms
well-done (Meat cooked fully through until no pink remains.)
Collocations
rare steak
|cooked rare
|served rare
Themes
food
|cooking
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- I ordered my steak rare.
- The chef recommends serving this cut of beef rare.
- She prefers her lamb rare rather than well-done.
- The burger was more rare than I expected.
- He likes his roast beef served rare.
Learner examples
- I want my steak rare.
- The meat is rare inside.
- She eats rare beef.
- The steak is red because it is rare.
- He asked for a rare burger.
adjective
B1
property
3
Exceptionally good or fine
Very special and good; better than usual.
Usage pattern:
a rare [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'uncommon' meaning simply infrequent, but here it means unusually good or excellent.
Synonyms
exceptional (Highlights being much better than average.)
|
remarkable (Emphasizes being worthy of attention due to excellence.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Normal, not special or excellent.)
Collocations
rare beauty
|rare talent
|rare treat
Themes
evaluation
|praise
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She has a rare talent for storytelling.
- It was a rare pleasure to hear him sing live.
- The museum houses some rare works of art.
- He displayed rare courage under pressure.
- This dessert is a rare treat.
Learner examples
- She has a rare gift for music.
- It was a rare joy to see them again.
- He has rare skill in painting.
- That was a rare meal.
- This artist has rare talent.
adjective
B2
property
4
Low density or thin consistency
Thin or light, with few parts in it or far apart.
Usage pattern:
[substance/air] is rare
Synonyms
thin (General term for low density; can refer to air or material.)
Antonyms
dense (Having parts close together; thick.)
Collocations
rare air
|rare atmosphere
Themes
science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The climbers struggled to breathe in the rare mountain air.
- Helium is rarer than oxygen in the atmosphere.
- The soup was too rare for my taste, almost watery.
- Rare gases are used in lighting equipment.
- At high altitudes, the air becomes more rare.
Learner examples
- The air is rare on the mountain.
- Water here is not rare but thin air is.
- This soup is too rare and watery.
- We breathe rare air high up.
- Gas can be rare at high places.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rare
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛɹ/
US/ɹˈɛɹ/
Syllables & stress
rare (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (rare)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: rare
- Comparative: rarer
- Superlative: rarest
Word family
Expressions
a rare bird
1/ə ɹˈɛɹ bˈɚd/
idiom
informal
An unusual person or thing
A person or thing that is very unusual or special.
Examples
- In politics, he's a rare bird—honest and straightforward.
- Such dedication in young athletes is a rare bird these days.
in rare form
1/ˈɪn ɹˈɛɹ fˈɔɹm/
idiom
informal
Performing unusually well or energetically
Acting in an unusually good, fun, or skillful way at that time.
Examples
- The comedian was in rare form last night and had everyone laughing nonstop.
- She was in rare form during the debate, answering every question perfectly.
rare occasion
1/ɹˈɛɹ ɔkˈeɪʒən/
fixed phrase
An event that happens infrequently
An event that does not happen often.
Examples
- It's a rare occasion when all the family gets together.
- Such offers are a rare occasion in this store.