rara avis

English

Etymology

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

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

Noun

rara avis (plural rara avises or rarae aves)

1. An rare or unique person or thing.

   That Parsons girl is quite the rara avis if you ask me.

Translations

rare or unique person or thing

Finnish: outo lintu (fi)

French: oiseau rare (fr) m.