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单词 rarity
释义

rarityn.

Brit. /ˈrɛːrᵻti/, U.S. /ˈrɛrədi/
Forms: late Middle English raryte, late Middle English–1600s rarite, 1500s raritee, 1500s rarytye, 1500s–1600s raritye, 1500s–1700s raritie, 1500s– rarety, 1500s– rarity, 1600s raretie; Scottish pre-1700 raritie, pre-1700 1700s– rarity.
Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French rarité; Latin rāritāt-, rāritās.
Etymology: < Middle French rarité, rareté (French rareté ) looseness of texture, porosity (1314 in Old French), rarity of occurrence, infrequency (15th cent.), object of rare beauty (1544), (of an object) quality of being uncommon (1553), rare object (1559) and its etymon classical Latin rāritāt-, rāritās looseness of texture, quality of being thinly dispersed, sparseness, rarity of occurrence, infrequency < rārus rare adj.1 + -tās (see -ty suffix1; compare -ity suffix). Compare Old Occitan raritat , raretat (14th cent.), Catalan raritat (late 14th cent.), Spanish raridad (late 14th cent.), Italian raritá (a1311). Compare rareness n.1On the length of the vowel in the first syllable compare the note at rarefy v.
The state or quality of being rare.
1. Thinness of composition or texture; the condition of having little density; the condition, esp. of air, of being rarefied. Now rare.In quot. ?a1425: porosity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [noun]
thinnessc1000
subtilenessa1398
subtletya1398
rareness?a1425
rarity?a1425
subtility?a1425
thinheadc1440
subtilty1494
shireness1495
tenuity1603
exility1626
soluteness1653
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Hunterian) f. 38v (MED) Þer ben þre vtilites off glandulous fleische..þe secounde vtilite is be cause þat he mowe drawe and resceiue in his rarite þe superfluites of þe principal members as off þe liuer and oþere sucche.
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1865) I. 185 That mownte is of suche altitude that the toppe off hit excedethe clowdes..where bryddes may not lyve for rarite of the aier.
1575 J. Banister Needefull Treat. Chyrurg. f. 53v If the Ulcer be in the palate, then bee more circumspect, bothe for raritie of the fleshe or corruption at the boone.
1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια i. xv. 27 Qualities, such as may be felt, hardnes, softnesse, thightnesse or fastnesse, and rarity; thickenesse, thinnesse, [etc.].
1669 J. Worlidge Systema Agriculturæ 257 For the true discovery of the nature and temper of the Air, as to its density or rarity, we have not met with a more certain or compleat invention than the Weather-glass.
1684 tr. T. Bonet Guide Pract. Physician i. 8 Falling of the Hair, caused by rarity of the skin.
1706 H. Ditton Inst. Fluxions 225 The Velocity of the Light is continually augmented by the encreasing Rarity of the Medium.
1794 G. Adams Lect. Nat. & Exper. Philos. II. xxi. 450 Though the transparency of bodies were explicable from the supposition of infinite strength, and infinite rarity.
1834 M. Somerville On Connexion Physical Sci. (1849) §xvii. 164 The air, notwithstanding its rarity, is capable of transmitting its undulations.
1887 R. L. Stevenson Treasure of Franchard ii, in Merry Men 224 An atmosphere of more than usual rarity.
1939 Sci. Monthly June 511/1 The ascent is steep, the ground is strewn with rocks, and the rarity of the air makes breathing difficult.
1959 L. D. Stamp Asia (ed. 10) 585 Amongst the effects associated with the rarity of the atmosphere at great elevations are the differences between sun and shade temperatures.
2. Relative fewness in number; the fact of occurring rarely or in few instances, infrequency.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [noun]
rarenessa1530
rarity1542
seldomness1561
unfrequency1611
infrequence1644
infrequency1677
low frequency1899
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > fewness > [noun] > relative or comparative fewness
rarenessa1530
rarity1542
scarcity1663
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > fewness > [noun] > relative or comparative fewness > instance of
rarity1542
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 209 Whiche honour, partely the raritee [L. raritas] made vnto hym acceptable, and partely, that he was therin ioyned with Hercules, a knight of moste high praise and renoume.
1560 J. Knox et al. Buke Discipline in J. Knox Wks. (1848) II. 194 The cheiffest remedy..in all this raritie of trew ministeris, is fervent prayer unto God.
1631 J. Mabbe tr. F. de Rojas Spanish Bawd v. 62 Rarity (you know) is the mother of admiration.
1672 R. Boyle Ess. Origine & Virtues Gems ii. 113 The Rarity of transparent Gems,..and the great Value, which their Scarceness and mens Folly sets upon them.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 477. ¶1 I am so far from being fond of any particular one, by reason of its Rarity [etc.].
1759 A. Gerard Ess. on Taste i. i. 10 Novelty can bestow charms on a monster, and make things pleasant, which have nothing to recommend them but their rarity.
1778 A. Smith Inq. Wealth of Nations (ed. 2) I. i. xi. 238 The frequency of emigration from Scotland, and the rarity of it from England.
1830 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I III. xi. 243 These libels, which enter into our national history, are of the greatest rarity.
1856 A. P. Stanley Sinai & Palestine (1858) vii. 287 Confined to rare and remote occasions, the more remarkable from their very rarity.
1925 Amer. Mercury Mar. 355/2 When little butterfly tables..with warped maple tops, sell for $575 apiece, it is their age and rarity which bring the extravagant price.
1943 J. M. Beattie et al. Textbk. Pathol. xxviii. 1114 Of less rarity, though still uncommon, are the mature-celled, ‘true neuromas’ of Virchow.
1976 A. J. Toynbee & D. Ikeda Choose Life II. ix. 226 Gold has been prized not for its utility but for its rarity.
2007 Collect it! Jan. 61/1 The exceptional price is due to the extreme rarity of the hot water bottle bears that come with their own hot water canister.
3. Unusual or exceptional character, esp. in respect of excellence.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun]
goodnessOE
mund?c1250
daintethc1290
bountyc1300
daintyc1300
excellencec1384
virtuea1393
excellency?a1400
nobilitya1400
meritc1425
singularity?c1450
fineness1523
admirationa1533
rareness1545
rightness1561
rariety1566
rarity1566
excellentness1569
beautya1586
admirableness1607
primeness1611
gallantry1650
eximiety1656
optimity1656
altesse1660
unexceptionableness1669
excellingness1701
quality1803
sterlingness1815
stupendosity1828
goodliness1832
superbness1832
unexceptionability1837
sweetness and light1867
class1884
rortiness1885
rippingness1903
superstardom1928
motherfucker1977
awesomeness1998
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness
selcouthnessc1440
rareness1545
rariety1566
rarity1566
uncommonness1705
1566 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure I. xliv. f. 224 Vertue can not make her self better knowen: than at that time, when the actions and dedes of great personages be semblable in raritie & excellence, to their nobilitie.
1601 R. Chester in C. M. Ingleby & L. T. Smith Shakespeare's Cent. Prayse (1879) 43 A Poeme enterlaced with much varietie and raritie.
1695 W. W. Novum Lumen Chirurgicum Extinctum 30 His Method of Cure. Which hath several Pieces of Rarity in it.
1710 D. Manley Mem. Europe I. i. 81 As fine a Set as had ever been seen, of Gold Plate for her Toilet and Chamber, especially recommended by the Rarity of the Workmanship.
1744 J. Harris Three Treat. Notes i. 270 Some Sample of a Philosophy, which, from its Rarity perhaps, may possibly furnish some Amusement.
1838 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. July 23/1 It is this union of firmness and gentleness that constitutes the beauty, we had almost said the rarity, of her character.
1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets v. 130 Even Archilochus seems commonplace when compared with Sappho's exquisite rarity of phrase.
1923 Daily Mail 24 May 8 Newman's ‘Apologia’ and ‘Grammar of Assent’ are Mr. Baldwin's favourite literary and philosophical readings, and he corrects the delicacy and rarity of the Oxford scholar with the early English novelists.
1943 B. Robertson Red Hills & Cotton iii. 32 We planted beds of..rosemary and lavender..simply because they had such musty sweetness, such rarity in their scent.
1990 M. van Duyn Near Changes iii. 53 So unguardedly, unthriftily do they open up and show themselves that subtlety, rarity, nuance are almost put to shame.
4.
a. Medicine. With reference to the pulse: infrequency; prolongation of the intervals between pulsations. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered pulse or circulation > [noun] > other pulse disorders
rarity1583
softness of the pulse1632
concentration1714
tightness1785
organic pulse1822
bigeminy1904
1583 P. Barrough Methode of Phisicke iv. viii. 186 The pulses..do keepe their naturall slownesse and raritie.
1707 J. Floyer Physician's Pulse-watch 40 This Rarity happens when the Blood is less rarified, or the Spirits weak.
1769 B. Alexander tr. G. B. Morgagni Seats & Causes Dis. I. 194 To the greatest rarity of the pulse..an inequality had suddenly been added.
b. With reference to a number of things or persons: the fact of being set at wide intervals. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [noun] > state of being scattered at wide intervals
thinnessc1440
rarity1598
scatteredness1667
scatteringness1747
1598 R. Barret Theorike & Pract. Mod. Warres iii. 78 So will it be of no force to fight, by reason of their raritie & their standing.
5. As a count noun: an unusual or uncommon thing or occurrence, esp. one valued for being so.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > something very rare
rare1566
rariety1566
black swan?1570
rarity1592
hen's milk1601
white Negro1631
rara avis1651
(one) in a million1685
collector's or collectors' item1910
lightning in a bottle1941
rare bird1962
1592 J. Dee Autobiogr. Tracts 30 in Chetham Misc. (1851) I Of other rarities..I will not make here any further rehearsall.
1656 A. Cowley Davideis i. 42 in Poems But this was a raritie; for Mallows are too soft to be proper for that use.
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 27 A Museum well stored with natural and artificial Rarities.
1713 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 12 Mar. (1948) II. 636 It was a fine day; wch is a rarity with us.
1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature III. xi. 215 This plant..had become such a rarity in his time as hardly any where to be seen.
1821 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto IV cxv. 128 The virtues, even..Charity, Are saving—vice spares nothing for a rarity.
1869 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest III. xii. 232 Milk..was the chief diet of the people; bread was a rarity.
1883 American 6 25 A bibliophilic rarity and treasure.
1935 ‘A. Bridge’ Illyrian Spring ix. 105 Now in modern life it is an extreme rarity, outside marriage, to get a week of uninterrupted companionship with any human being.
1972 Country Life 28 Dec. 1783/2 The great rarities in this sale were two Dutch engraved Newcastle glasses of the mid-18th century.
2004 Jrnl. Mil. Hist. 68 997 This is one of those rarities among military histories—a book that is both informative and a delight to read.

Compounds

rarity value n. the value an object or occurrence has because of its scarcity or infrequency.
ΚΠ
1902 Democrat & Standard (Coshocton, Ohio) 25 Mar. The royal visitor bids fair to lose his ‘rarity value’.
1962 Listener 30 Aug. 329/1 Shots..came across with a breezy freshness that is only partly explained by their rarity value on television.
1999 T. Severin In Search Moby Dick (2000) i. 35 Eventually Cabri's rarity value faded, like his tattoos, and he was reduced to travelling around France as little more than a fairground attraction.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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