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Glite Dictionary
rare animal

rare animal

2 6.4
An animal from a species with very few living members and at risk of dying out
  • noun
  • /rɛr ˈænɪməl/
translation icon : animal raro
  • Still, we take satisfaction in encountering other new or rare animals.
  • rare animals in the wild
  • other rare animals

Examples

  • Since the early 1990s, park officials and conservationists have gone to great lengths to protect these rare animals in order to prevent their extinction.

  • Is this a rare animal?

    The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

  • List of the rare animal species of North Carolina.

    Blog text (11)

  • This tiny zoo specializes in rare animals that are found throughout the Himalayan Range.

    Academic text (2000)

  • I urge all those photographing the fauna and flora of tropical Florida to behave in ways that respect these unique, fragile habitats and these wonderful, rare animals.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Damas provides an example of ecotourism, which is defined as the practice of visiting sites where exotic landscapes and rare animals attract visitors.

  • She traveled to the rainforest specifically to spot rare animals and learn about their habitats.

Synonyms

endangered species
vsrare animal
50 3.2

A kind of animal or plant that may soon die out

applies to a single individual of a low population not an entire group
rarity
vsrare animal
31 6.2

Something that is not common and happens only sometimes

describes a single living being at risk of disappearing or seldom seen

Antonyms

common
797 1.0

Happening often or seen in many places

abundant
77 3.0

Present in large amounts or more than needed

How Threatened

rare animal
2 6.4

Surface Forms

rare animal singular
rare animals plural

Morphology

rare + animal

The meaning 'an animal that is scarce or at risk' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'rare' (occurring infrequently) with 'animal' (organism). This adjectival composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Rare animal comes from the simple idea that rare meant 'not often seen' and animal means 'a living creature'. Think of a bird you see only once in many years — that picture helps: a rare animal now means a type of creature with very few left, often at risk of 'dying out'.