rara avis

English

Etymology

Latin rāra avis (“rare bird”), plural rarae aves

From Juvenal's Satires (6.165): Rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno ("a bird as rare upon the earth as a black swan").

Noun

rara avis (plural rara avises or rarae aves)

  1. A rare or unique person or thing.
    That Parsons girl is quite the rara avis if you ask me.

Translations
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