Tra từ rare - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

rare [rare rarer rarest] BrE [reə(r)] NAmE [rer] adjective (rarer, rar·est)
1. not done, seen, happening, etc. very often
•a rare disease/occurrence/sight
• This weekend, visitors will get a rare chance to visit the private apartments.
•~ (for sb/sth to do sth) It's extremely rare for it to be this hot in April.
•~ (to do sth) It is rare to find such loyalty these days.
•On the rare occasions when they met he hardly even dared speak to her.
•It was a rare (= very great) honour to be made a fellow of the college.
2. existing only in small numbers and therefore valuable or interesting
•a rare book/coin/stamp
•a rare breed/plant
• This species is extremely rare.
3. (of meat)cooked for only a short time so that the inside is still red
• ‘How would you like your steak?’ ‘Rare.’
compare ↑well done
see also ↑rarity

Word Origin:
senses 1 to 2 late Middle English ‘widely spaced, infrequent’ Latin rarus sense 3 late 18th cent. rear ‘half-cooked’

Thesaurus:
rare adj.
•He suffers from a rare bone disease.
uncommon • • infrequent •
Opp: common, Opp: frequent
rare/uncommon/infrequent words
a rare/an uncommon experience/feature/occurrence
rare/infrequent occasions/use

Example Bank:
•The stamps were not rare enough to be interesting.
•He suffers from a rare bone disease.
•It is rare for a prison sentence to be imposed for a first offence.
•On the rare occasions when they met he hardly even dared speak to her.
•The case provides a rare glimpse into police practice.
•The farm specializes in rare breeds.
•The hatching of a baby tortoise is a rare event in captivity.
•The jade vase was extremely rare and very valuable.
•The library has a collection of rare books and manuscripts.
•The marshes contain many rare species of plants.
•Then I had one of my rare good ideas.
•There are rare cases of human beings bursting into flames.
•This is a rare sight: badgers are normally active only at night.
•This specimen is very rare indeed.
•Visitors will get a rare chance to see inside the palace.