UNCOMMON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does uncommon mean? 

• UNCOMMON (adjective)
  The adjective UNCOMMON has 2 senses:

1. not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind

2. marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind

  Familiarity information: UNCOMMON used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNCOMMON (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind

Context example:

he owed his greatest debt to his mother's uncommon character and ability

Similar:

especial; exceptional; particular; special (surpassing what is common or usual or expected)

rare (not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness)

red-carpet; red carpet (special treatment or hospitality)

unusual (not commonly encountered)

unwonted (unaccustomed or unusual)

Also:

unusual (not usual or common or ordinary)

extraordinary (beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable)

Attribute:

commonness; commonplaceness; everydayness (ordinariness as a consequence of being frequent and commonplace)

Antonym:

common (having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual)

Derivation:

uncommonness (extraordinariness as a consequence of being rare and seldom encountered)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind

Synonyms:

rare; uncommon

Context example:

she was kind to an uncommon degree

Similar:

extraordinary (beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable)

Derivation:

uncommonness (extraordinariness as a consequence of being marked by an uncommon or superlative quality)

 Context examples 

Cancer of the eye is uncommon.

(Eye Cancer, NIH)

An uncommon, aggressive malignant smooth muscle neoplasm.

(Conventional Leiomyosarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

An uncommon, poorly circumscribed, benign neoplasm arising in the soft tissues of infants, children and adolescents.

(Gardner Fibroma, NCI Thesaurus)

An uncommon, usually aggressive adenocarcinoma of the breast characterized by the presence of clear cells that contain glycogen.

(Glycogen-Rich, Clear Cell Breast Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

An uncommon type of thyroid tumor that can be benign or malignant.

(Hurthle cell neoplasm, NCI Dictionary)

An uncommon benign neoplasm arising from the bone.

(Chondromyxoid Fibroma, NCI Thesaurus)

An uncommon carcinoma arising from the cervix.

(Cervical Adenosquamous Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Cancer that starts in a bone is uncommon.

(Bone Cancer, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

An uncommon variant of melanocytic nevus.

(Balloon Cell Nevus, NCI Thesaurus)

An uncommon malignant adipose tissue neoplasm of the bone.

(Bone Liposarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)