rarity

rarity
/rair"i tee/, n., pl. 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.
[1550-60; < L raritas thinness, equiv. to rar(us) RARE1 + -itas -ITY]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Rarity — Rar i*ty (r[a^]r [i^]*t[y^]; 277), n.; pl. {Rarities} (r[a^]r [i^]*t[i^]z). [L. raritas: cf. F. raret[ e]. See {Rare}.] 1. The quality or state of being rare; rareness; thinness; as, the rarity (contrasted with the density) of gases. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rarity — can refer to:* something that is rare or scarcePeople, including: *John Rarity, English physicist …   Wikipedia

  • rarity — index exception (exclusion), improbability, irregularity, phenomenon (unusual occurrence), specialty (distinctive mark …   Law dictionary

  • rarity — 1550s, fewness, from M.Fr. rarité (16c.) or directly from L. raritas thinness, fewness, from rarus (see RARE (Cf. rare) (adj.1)). Meaning thinness is from 1640s; noun sense of a rare thing or event: is from 1590s …   Etymology dictionary

  • rarity — ► NOUN (pl. rarities) 1) the state or quality of being rare. 2) a rare thing …   English terms dictionary

  • rarity — [rer′ə tē] n. [L raritas] 1. the quality or condition of being rare; specif., a) uncommonness; scarcity b) excellence c) lack of density; thinness 2. pl. rarities something remarkable or valuable because rare …   English World dictionary

  • rarity — [[t]re͟ərɪti[/t]] rarities 1) N COUNT: usu sing, oft N in/among n If someone or something is a rarity, they are interesting or valuable because they are so unusual. [JOURNALISM] Motorized wheelchairs are a rarity here... He was a rarity among… …   English dictionary

  • Rarity — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Rarity >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 rarity rarity tenuity Sgm: N 1 absence of solidity absence of solidity &c. 321 Sgm: N 1 subtility subtility Sgm: N 1 subtilty subtilty subtlety Sgm: N 1 sponginess …   English dictionary for students

  • rarity — UK [ˈreərətɪ] / US [ˈrerətɪ] noun Word forms rarity : singular rarity plural rarities 1) [singular] something that does not happen often Visits by presidential candidates are a rarity here. 2) [countable] someone or something that is admired or… …   English dictionary

  • rarity — rar|i|ty [ˈreərıti US ˈrer ] n plural rarities 1.) be a rarity to not happen or exist very often ▪ Visitors were a rarity in the village. 2.) something that is valuable or interesting because it is rare ▪ Some of these plants are national… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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