rara avis
noun
ra·ra avis
ˌrer-ə-ˈā-vəs 
ˌrär-ə-ˈä-wəs
plural rara avises
ˌrer-ə-ˈā-və-səz
or rarae aves
ˌrär-ˌī-ˈä-ˌwās
or rarae aves
ˌrär-ˌī-ˈä-ˌwās
: someone or something that is rare : rarity sense 2
Elizabeth Bishop was the anomaly, the rara avis, of her generation of poets …—
Harper's
Harper'sIt is easy to see why Ms. Hacker's early work had such an impact; a rara avis in the swamp of free verse, she writes villanelles, sestinas and sonnets …—David Kirby
David KirbyAnd she has become that rara avis, a serious medievalist with a popular following.—Patrick J. Geary
Patrick J. GearyThe Bob Dorough-Dave Frishberg concert at Kaye Playhouse on June 19 is sure to sell out, combining two comparable rarae aves—clever, storytelling jazz songwriters.—Ben Ratliff
Ben RatliffExamples of rara avis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Holy rara avis, Batman!
—Peter Mehlman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2020
Sitting in the center, with a passenger seat to the left and right, the lucky driver will feel equally at home in the US, the UK or anywhere a long stretch of pavement invites this rara avis to soar.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 June 2021
Finding that rara avis of product design that combines pretty with practical is thrilling, and porcelain tile is both.
—Sarah Baird, Good Housekeeping, 14 Sep. 2020
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Peter Mehlman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2020
Sitting in the center, with a passenger seat to the left and right, the lucky driver will feel equally at home in the US, the UK or anywhere a long stretch of pavement invites this rara avis to soar.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 21 June 2021
Finding that rara avis of product design that combines pretty with practical is thrilling, and porcelain tile is both.
—Sarah Baird, Good Housekeeping, 14 Sep. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near rara avis
Cite this Entry
“Rara avis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rara%20avis. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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