Where does “rare” come from?
rare (Middle English) comes from Old French rare, from Latin rārus, from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- — to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare.
rare (Middle English): airy, vacuous; porous, breathable; sparsely...
Definitions
- airy, vacuous; porous, breathable; sparsely...
Ancestry of “rare”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | rare | — |
| 2 | Latin | rārus | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁reh₁- | to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare |
Words derived from “rare”