rara avis

n., pl., ra·ra a·vis·es, or ra·rae a·ves (râr'ē ā'vēz).
A rare or unique person or thing.

[Latin rāra avis : rāra, feminine of rārus, rare + avis, bird.]

(RAR-uh AY-vis)

noun, plural rarae aves (RAR-ee AY-veez)
A rare person or thing.

Etymology
From Latin rara (rare) avis (bird).

Usage
"But the Clipper (Joe DiMaggio) was a rara avis, not merely a player of inimitable style but also a winner ...." — Jonathan Yardley, Idol Worship, The Washington Post, Oct 22, 2000.

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a rare bird

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a rare or unique person
  Synonym: rare bird

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