rarity

American  

[rair-i-tee] / ˈrɛər ɪ ti /

noun

plural

rarities

1. something rare, unusual, or uncommon.

   Snowstorms are a rarity in the South.

2. something esteemed or interesting in being rare, uncommon, or curious.

   That folio is a rarity that will bring a good price.

3. the state or quality of being rare.

4. rare occurrence; infrequency.

   Volcanic eruptions on the island occur with great rarity.

5. unusual excellence.

6. thinness, as of air or a gas.

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rarity British  

/ ˈrɛərɪtɪ /

noun

1. a rare person or thing, esp something interesting or valued because it is uncommon

2. the state or quality of being rare

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Etymology

Origin of rarity

1550–60; < Latin rāritās thinness, equivalent to rār ( us ) rare ¹ + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

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

Even rain, a rarity in a region that averages fewer than 20 days a year, has a habit of arriving during the tournament’s early-March window, occasionally bringing cold drizzle and delays.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

The jury concluded: "The rarity of the disease and unusual presentation led to a difficulty in reaching a diagnosis but this did not affect the outcome."

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

The combined firm put extra effort into courting wealthy individuals, a rarity at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 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

Related Words

• infrequency
• rareness
• uncommonness