not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness; a rare word; rare books'

recurring only at long intervals; a rare appearance; total eclipses are rare events'

not widely distributed; rare herbs; rare patches of green in the desert'

having low density; rare gasses; lightheaded from the rarefied mountain air

[ Syn: rarefied , rarified ]

marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind; what is so rare as a day in June-J.R.Lowell; a rare skill; an uncommon sense of humor; she was kind to an uncommon degree

[ Syn: uncommon ]

(of meat) cooked a short time; still red inside; rare roast beef'