rarity
Americannoun
plural
rarities-
something rare, unusual, or uncommon.
Snowstorms are a rarity in the South.
-
something esteemed or interesting in being rare, uncommon, or curious.
That folio is a rarity that will bring a good price.
-
the state or quality of being rare.
-
rare occurrence; infrequency.
Volcanic eruptions on the island occur with great rarity.
-
unusual excellence.
-
thinness, as of air or a gas.
noun
-
a rare person or thing, esp something interesting or valued because it is uncommon
-
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.
"When you hear 'croc', you instantly think of the rarity," said Rich.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
That, as well as its commitment to shooting in Los Angeles, a rarity in an increasingly budget-conscious industry, added to its price tag.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Even though Ives doesn’t cover most of the stocks in the new ETF, attaching his name and brand to another fund is a rarity on Wall Street.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
We witnessed a rarity in the House this week: A public “trial” before the usually hush-hush House Ethics Committee.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026
A young Negro contralto was a rarity in German concert life, and many people came out of curiosity.
From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman
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.
