rarity
Americannoun
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something rare, unusual, or uncommon.
Snowstorms are a rarity in the South.
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something esteemed or interesting in being rare, uncommon, or curious.
That folio is a rarity that will bring a good price.
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the state or quality of being rare.
-
rare occurrence; infrequency.
Volcanic eruptions on the island occur with great rarity.
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unusual excellence.
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thinness, as of air or a gas.
noun
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a rare person or thing, esp something interesting or valued because it is uncommon
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the state or quality of being rare
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
A sight that makes Scotland supporters rejoice, such has been its rarity in recent times.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Its rarity and beauty earned it a near mythical reputation.
From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026
Another nature rarity: half-red, half-yellow apple drew crowds.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026
And later this summer, USC will open a $200-million football facility — a rarity in an age when such spending has more often taken a backseat.
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
Spraying tends to be repetitive, and a single exposure from which the wildlife populations might have a chance to recover is a rarity.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
