# rare

/ˈɹɛɹ/ (US) · /ɹˈeə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rare
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. uncommon

adjective · CEFR B1

not happening often or not found in many places.

For teachers: occurring or found very infrequently; characterized by scarcity or uniqueness.

- It is very rare to see snow in this part of the country during October.
- The museum recently acquired a rare first edition of the manuscript, one of only three known copies to have survived the fire.

### 2. cooking meat

adjective · CEFR B1

meat that has been cooked for a short time and is still red inside.

For teachers: referring to meat, particularly beef, cooked briefly so that the interior remains red and moist.

- I would like my steak rare, please, with a side of roasted vegetables.
- The chef recommends serving this specific cut of Wagyu rare to preserve the delicate texture and fat distribution of the meat.

### 3. thin or low density

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

used to describe air that is thin and has less oxygen, usually high up.

For teachers: having low density or being thin in consistency; most frequently applied to the atmosphere at high altitudes.

- The air is so rare at the top of the mountain that it is hard to breathe.
- Climbers often require supplemental oxygen when ascending into the rare atmosphere of the 'death zone' above eight thousand metres.

### 4. excellent

adjective · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang

really good or enjoyable.

For teachers: denoting high quality or excellence; used as a positive intensifier in specific regional dialects.

- We had a rare time at the party last night.
- The local supporters were in rare form after the match, celebrating their team's unexpected victory well into the night.

### 5. to be eager

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to be very excited and ready to start doing something.

For teachers: to be full of enthusiasm or eagerness to begin an activity; almost exclusively used in the present participle 'raring'.

- After a long holiday, the staff were raring to go on the new project.
- Despite the early hour, the young athletes appeared raring to go, bouncing on their toes as they waited for the starting whistle.

Usage: Almost always appears in the phrase 'raring to go'.

## Examples

- It is rare to see snow in this part of the country.
- The collector spent years searching for a rare stamp to complete his set from the nineteenth century.
- While the species was once abundant across the plains, it has become increasingly rare due to habitat fragmentation and the encroachment of urban development.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.