Class: adjective | Syllables: RAIR-uh-fyde

Definition: Something described as rarefied is understood or appreciated by only a small or select group of people; the word is a synonym of esoteric. Rarefied can also be used technically to mean “being less dense,” a use that is typically applied to air that has less oxygen in it because of high elevation.

Example(s):
// She has never been comfortable in the rarefied world of art dealers.
// The climbers knew that breathing in the rarefied air near the mountain's peak would be difficult.