ra
B1Common in formal and informal contexts; slightly formal when describing quality.
Definition
Meaning
existing in small numbers; not common or frequent; unusually good
Of meat: cooked for a short time so that the inside is still red; thin, not dense (rare air); of exceptional quality
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core meaning is 'infrequent'. The cooking sense is dominant in culinary contexts. Can describe positive scarcity (rare talent) or neutral scarcity (rare event).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage largely identical. The cooking sense 'lightly cooked' is universal. 'Rare' for 'thin' (as in 'rare air') is more literary and shared.
Connotations
In both: positive for 'rare opportunity/talent'; neutral for 'rare occurrence'. In British English, 'rare' for meat implies very red centre; US usage identical.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is rare (for somebody/something) to do somethingSomething is rare in a placeRare + noun (rare bird)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “rare as hen's teeth”
- “a rare bird”
- “in rare form”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare opportunity, rare skill set, rare market conditions
Academic
Rare phenomenon, rare specimen, statistically rare
Everyday
Rarely see him, a rare steak, that's rare!
Technical
Rare earth elements, rare disease, rare genetic variant
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- It's a rare sunny day in Manchester.
- He collects rare first editions.
- I'll have the beef, rare, please.
American English
- It's rare to get such good service.
- She has a rare form of arthritis.
- He likes his steak cooked rare.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Pandas are rare animals.
- It is rare to see snow here.
- This is a rare opportunity to travel abroad.
- He suffers from a rare disease.
- Such blatant disregard for protocol is rare in this organisation.
- The manuscript is of rare historical value.
- Her combination of analytical rigour and creative flair is exceptionally rare.
- The treaty represents a rare consensus among the rival factions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RARE diamond – it's both uncommon and valuable.
Conceptual Metaphor
SCARCITY IS VALUE (a rare find); INFREQUENCY IS DISTANCE (rarely seen).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'странный' (strange). 'Rare' is primarily 'редкий'. For meat, 'rare' is 'с кровью' (for steak).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'rarely' as an adjective (*He is a rarely person). Confusing 'rare' with 'raw' (for food). Overusing 'rare' for 'unusual' in a negative sense.
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'rare' NOT mean 'uncommon'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Rare' emphasizes low frequency or uniqueness. 'Scarce' emphasizes insufficient quantity for demand. Water can be scarce in a drought, but not necessarily rare as a substance.
Yes, often. A 'rare talent' is highly valued. However, 'rare' can be neutral (rare event) or negative (rare disease).
'Rare' is an adjective describing a noun (a rare bird). 'Rarely' is an adverb describing a verb (I rarely eat meat).
Yes, it means cooked very briefly with a cool, red centre. The scale typically goes: rare -> medium rare -> medium -> well done.