WordGarden.iorareness
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈeənəs/
US
- /ˈrɛrnɪs/
Meanings
Noun
the quality of being uncommon, scarce, or hard to find
the degree to which meat is cooked rare
Beyond the definition
Rareness isn't just about something being hard to find; it's about how little of it exists or happens in the first place. Think of a perfect, flawless diamond: its rareness adds greatly to its value. You might talk about the rareness of a particular skill, like ancient calligraphy, or the rareness of seeing a shooting star. It's more than simple difficulty; it points to a naturally limited amount or a very uncommon event. A snow day in Florida would be an example of rareness, while catching a common cold would not.
The word often implies something special or valuable because it's uncommon. We celebrate the rareness of genuine kindness in a world that can sometimes feel harsh. It's related to concepts like scarcity and infrequency, but it carries a stronger sense of limited existence.
Rareness describes the state or quality of being uncommon, scarce, or infrequent. It goes beyond simply being difficult to find; it points to a real limitation in quantity or occurrence. Something can be hard to get because it is hidden, far away, or expensive, but rareness suggests that there truly is not much of it, or that it happens only seldom.
You can talk about the rareness of a natural phenomenon—like a total solar eclipse—meaning such events happen very infrequently and are therefore special. Or consider the rareness of certain talents; a truly gifted musician or artist possesses skills that are uncommon and highly valued.
Rareness isn't limited to physical objects. You can also describe abstract qualities in terms of their rareness: "The rareness of genuine empathy in today's society is disheartening." This highlights how little of something desirable exists. It differs slightly from the word "rarity," which often focuses on the object itself (e.g., "that coin is a rarity"), while "rareness" emphasizes the state of being uncommon.
In ecological contexts, rareness refers to species with very small populations or limited geographic ranges; these are plants and animals facing a high risk of extinction. Understanding their rareness is crucial for conservation efforts.
So, whether you're discussing precious gems, exceptional abilities, dwindling wildlife, or admirable character traits, rareness points to something that exists in limited supply, making it valuable, special, and often worth preserving.
Examples
- 1
Collectibles
The stamp's high price comes from the rareness of that printing mistake.
- 2
Conservation
Because of its rareness, the plant is now protected in the wild.
- 3
Politics
The rareness of such honesty in politics surprised a lot of people.
See also
Similar
- rarity
- uncommonness
- infrequency
Shades of meaning
- scarcity
- uniqueness
- exceptionality
Contrast
- commonness
- abundance
Used with (collocations)
- the rareness of
- relative rareness
- extreme rareness
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- rarenessnoun