rare¹ (râr)
adj., rar·er, rar·est.

1. Infrequently occurring; uncommon: a rare event; a plant that is rare in this region.
2. Excellent; extraordinary: a rare sense of honor.
3. Thin in density: rarefied: rare air.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rārus.]

rareness rare'ness n.

rare² (râr)
adj., rar·er, rar·est.
Cooked just a short time so as to retain juice and redness: a rare steak.

[Middle English rere, lightly boiled, from Old English hrēr.]

rareness rare'ness n.

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---