French Conversation · Level 19
89 words
French word
rare
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁaʁ/
Meaning
- adjectiveunusual
Example
C'est rare de voir autant d'oiseaux ici.
It is unusual to see so many birds here.
More examples
Cette plante est rare dans cette région.
This plant is rare in this region.
Core concept
A landscape with wide gaps between appearances, where only a few instances are present.
Common phrases
très rare
very rare
espèce rare
rare species
objet rare
rare object
Similar words
peu courant: Uncommon and rarely encountered in everyday life.
inhabituel: Different from what usually happens or is normally seen.
insolite: Unusual in a striking way that attracts interest or causes surprise.
Definition in French
Qui n'apparaît pas souvent; inhabituel par sa faible occurrence ou sa petite quantité.
Word origin
French rare comes from Latin rarus, meaning sparsely spaced, through the inherited development of Old French.
Usage tips
- For undercooked meat, French uses saignant rather than rare, which means uncommon or scarce.