rarity
gb/ɹˈɛɹɪti/ us/ɹˈɛɹɪti/
B2
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B2
property
1
the quality of being rare
how uncommon something is
Schéma d’usage :
the rarity of [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Do not confuse rarity (uncommonness) with scarcity (a shortage or too little supply).
Synonymes
uncommonness (a direct, neutral synonym for how rare something is)
|
scarcity (emphasizes limited supply or availability, not just uncommonness)
Antonymes
commonness (the state of being usual or frequently found)
|
abundance (a large quantity or plenty, often implying easy availability)
Collocations
the rarity of
|extreme rarity
|sheer rarity
|due to its rarity
|a measure of rarity
|rarity makes it valuable
|rarity increases demand
|rarity among
|comparative rarity
|a sense of rarity
Thèmes
describing_things
|statistics
|daily_life
Exemples
- The rarity of snow in this region makes every winter storm feel special.
- Its rarity is one reason the stamp sells for so much.
- She enjoyed the rarity of a completely quiet evening.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The rarity of this flower makes it hard to find.
Nom
B2
entity
2
a rare or unusual thing
a thing that is not common
Schéma d’usage :
a rarity (in/among) [place/group]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use rarity when they mean rarity value (extra value because it is rare).
Synonymes
oddity (often suggests something strange as well as uncommon)
|
novelty (emphasizes newness or being interesting for a short time)
Antonymes
commonplace (something ordinary and frequently encountered)
|
everyday thing (a normal, usual thing (informal phrasing))
Collocations
a real rarity
|a genuine rarity
|a welcome rarity
|a local rarity
|a collector's rarity
|a museum rarity
|rarities and curios
|rare book rarity
|a rarity nowadays
|a rarity in modern life
Thèmes
daily_life
|culture
|shopping
Exemples
- A handwritten thank-you note is a rarity now.
- Seeing a wild otter here is a rarity, so we stopped to watch.
- The gallery displays rarities from private collections.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Fresh mangoes are a rarity in winter.
Nom
C1
property
3
degree of meat doneness
how rare or well-cooked meat is
Schéma d’usage :
[meat/fish] cooked to [a] rarity
Erreur fréquente :
This sense is less common than doneness; it is mostly used in restaurants or cooking contexts.
Synonymes
doneness (the more common general term for how thoroughly meat is cooked)
Antonymes
well-done (cooked thoroughly, the opposite end of the scale from rare)
Collocations
preferred rarity
|steak rarity
|choose your rarity
|cook to rarity
|rarity from rare to well-done
|served at this rarity
|adjust the rarity
|specify the rarity
|requested rarity
|a higher rarity
Thèmes
food_drink
|restaurants
Exemples
- The waiter asked what rarity I wanted for my steak.
- Please cook the tuna to a slightly lower rarity than last time.
- The menu explains each rarity from rare to well-done.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I want my steak at medium rarity.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
rarity
API
GB/ɹˈɛɹɪti/
US/ɹˈɛɹɪti/
Syllabes et accentuation
rar - ity (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (rar)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: rarity
- Plural: rarities, rarity
Expressions
a rarity these days
1/ə ɹˈɛɹɪti ðˈiz dˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
uncommon in modern times
not common now
Exemples
- A phone call from him is a rarity these days.
- Good customer service feels like a rarity these days.
- A cool summer is a rarity these days.
cook [something] to [a] rarity
1/kˈʊk sˈʌmθɪŋ tə ə ɹˈɛɹɪti/
fixed phrase
cook meat to a doneness level
cook meat so it is rare/medium/well-done
Exemples
- They can cook the steak to any rarity you like.
- Please cook the lamb to medium rarity.
- The chef refused to cook the chicken to a low rarity for safety reasons.
rarity value
1/ɹˈɛɹɪti vˈælju/
fixed phrase
extra value because it's rare
higher value because it is rare
Exemples
- The print has significant rarity value because so few copies survived.
- Condition affects price, but rarity value matters too.
- The coins were bought mainly for their rarity value.
something of a rarity
1/sˈʌmθɪŋ əv ə ɹˈɛɹɪti/
fixed phrase
a somewhat uncommon thing
not common; unusual
Exemples
- A calm commute is something of a rarity in this city.
- In our family, a quiet dinner is something of a rarity.
- Honest feedback can be something of a rarity at work.