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rara avis

 - 3 dictionary results

ra⋅ra a⋅vis

  [rair-uh ey-vis; Lat. rah-rah ah-wis]
Use rara avis in a Sentence
–noun, plural ra⋅rae a⋅ves  [rair-ee ey-veez; Lat. rah-rahy ah-wes] .
a rare person or thing; rarity.
Origin:
1600–10; < L rāra avis rare bird
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ra·ra a·vis   (râr'ə ā'vĭs)   
n.   pl. ra·ra a·vis·es or ra·rae a·ves (râr'ē ā'vēz)
A rare or unique person or thing.

[Latin rāra avis : rāra, feminine of rārus, rare + avis, bird.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

rara avis 
1607, "peculiar person," from L. (Juvenal, Persius), lit. "strange bird," from rara, fem. of rarus "rare" + avis "bird." Latin pl. is raræ aves.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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