rare

Still pink inside

Rare describes something uncommon or infrequent—a rare disease, a rare opportunity, a rare book.

What's rare is often valuable precisely because of its scarcity.

Rare also describes meat cooked briefly, leaving the center red and cool: I'll have my steak rare.

In older usage, rare meant exceptionally fine: a rare treat.

precious

gemstone

Ornamental cut mineral

sapphire · pearl · heirloom · treasure · collectible · artifact · relic · antique · vintage · irreplaceable

exceptional

extraordinary

Beyond what's typical

unparalleled · incomparable · peerless · unrivaled · singular · unique · distinguished · noteworthy · uncommon · unprecedented

scarce

limited

Restricted in extent

  • sparseThinly scattered or distributed
  • scarceIn short supply
  • fewSmall in number

infrequent · meager · shortage · depleted · dwindling · unavailable · lacking · paucity · sporadic · insufficient

undercooked

bloody

Gore-covered or British curse

tender · tartare · carpaccio · steak · blue · raw · red · grill · charred · steakhouse

metals

platinum

Dense precious silvery metal

osmium · ruthenium · gold · bullion · ingot · refinery · mining · assay · commodity · element

unusual

strange

Unusual or unfamiliar

bizarre · eccentric · atypical · anomalous · aberrant · offbeat · quirky · unconventional · unexpected · surprising

rarefied

thin

Small in diameter

mountainous · oxygen · pressure · elevation · breathless · highland · summit · ethereal · diffuse

Categories
Opposites
frequency/commonness

rarecommon

Widespread and unremarkable

frequent · commonplace · abundant · prevalent · widespread

value/preciousness

rarecommon

Widespread and unremarkable

worthless · cheap · ordinary · unremarkable · pedestrian

cooking doneness

rarewell-done

Fully cooked or praised

well done · overcooked · charred · cooked through · burnt

Phrases
Family

rarely, rarity, raring, rarefied, rarer, rarest, rareness, rarefy, rares

Familiarity
Top 3,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G