Rara-avis
[rair-uh ey-vis; Latin rah-rah ah-wis] /ˈrɛər ə ˈeɪ vɪs; Latin ˈrɑ rɑ ˈɑ wɪs/
noun, plural rarae aves
[rair-ee ey-veez; Latin rah-rahy ah-wes] /ˈrɛər i ˈeɪ viz; Latin ˈrɑ raɪ ˈɑ wɛs/ (Show IPA)
1.
a rare person or thing; rarity.
/ˈrɛərə ˈeɪvɪs/
noun (pl) rarae aves (ˈrɛəriː ˈeɪviːz)
1.
an unusual, uncommon, or exceptional person or thing
n.
c.1600, “peculiar person,” from Latin rara avis, literally “strange bird,” from rara, fem. of rarus “rare” (see rare (adj.1)) + avis “bird” (see aviary). Latin plural is raræ aves. Horace’s peacock (a Roman delicacy), Juvenal’s black swan (“Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno”).
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