noun · rare

rara avis

rara avis · rara avises · rarae aves

seltener Vogel, Paradiesvogel

A rare species or type of birdA rare species or type of bird.

UK/ˌɹɑːɹə ˈeɪvɪs/US/ˌɹɑɹə ˈeɪvɪs/

Meaning

2 senses

A rare species or type of bird.
a rare or unique person
(figuratively)A rare or unique, and thus outstanding or unusual, person or thing; a rare bird.
That Parsons girl is quite the rara avis if you ask me.
seltener Vogel, Paradiesvogel

Translations

7 languages

Deutsch

By meaning 1

rare or unique, and thus outstanding or unusual, person or thing:

Origin

Unadapted borrowing from Latin rāra avis (“rare bird”). The synonym rare bird is attested

Unadapted borrowing from Latin rāra avis (“rare bird”). The synonym rare bird is attested earlier. The term is a quotation from Satire VI (written late 1st century – early 2nd century C.E.) of the Roman poet Juvenal: “Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno [a bird as rare upon the earth as a black swan]!”.

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