# rare vs rat

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### rare
*adjective · IPA /ɹɛ/ · frequency rank #1,772*
Very uncommon; scarce.

### rat
*noun · IPA /ɹæt/ · frequency rank #5,446*
Any of the numerous members of several rodent families that usually have short limbs, a pointy snout, a long, hairless tail, and a body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rare-vs-rat