Rarely
/ˈrɛərli/
Definitions
Not often; infrequently.
/ˈrɛərli/
Not often; seldom.
She rarely visits her relatives.
💡 Simply: It's like saying something doesn't happen very much. Like, you rarely eat ice cream for breakfast. It's not something you do every day!
👶 For kids: It means not very often. Like, I rarely eat broccoli.
More Examples
The museum rarely exhibits ancient artifacts.
I rarely feel tired in the morning.
How It's Used
"He rarely goes to the cinema."
"Such occurrences are rarely observed in this region."
"The event is rarely associated with this outcome."
From Middle English *rarelich*, equivalent to 'rare' + '-ly'. 'Rare' itself comes from Latin *rarus*, meaning 'thin' or 'scattered'.
The word 'rarely' has been used in English for several centuries, with its meaning remaining consistent over time, emphasizing the infrequency of an event or action.