Word of the Day

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

rara avis

\RAIR-uh-AY-vis\ , noun;

plural rara avises \RAIR-uh-AY-vuh-suhz\ or rarae aves \RAIR-ee-AY-veez\

A rare or unique person or thing.

Quotes:

He was, after all, that rara avis, a Jewish Catholic priest with a wife and children.

-- Jeremy Sams, "Lorenzo the magnificent", Independent, May 16, 2000

"First of all," Arthur said, "Jack is that rara avis among Ivy League radicals, a birthright member of the proletariat."

-- Charles McCarry, Lucky Bastard

Rara avis. You'd have to go far and wide to find someone like that, especially in these times.

-- Andrew Holleran, In September, the Light Changes

Origin:

Rara avis is Latin for "rare bird."