• Today's Word

Rarefied

🔊 Listen to the word Rarefied

RAIR-uh-fyd

Definition

(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).

Example

The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.

Word Origin

From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”

Fun Fact

Originally used in physics to describe air thinned at high altitudes, rarefied later took on a metaphorical sense—ideas, lifestyles, or circles of influence that exist far above everyday experience. A rarefied discussion might deal with abstract philosophy, while a rarefied atmosphere could describe both mountaintops and elite social circles. The word captures the tension between refinement and isolation—how elevation, whether intellectual or physical, can be both exhilarating and lonely.