rzadka

Rzadka is the feminine singular form of the Polish adjective rzadki, meaning rare, infrequent, or uncommon. It is used to describe feminine nouns and agrees with gender and number. For example, rzadka choroba means a rare disease, and rzadka roślina means a rare plant. The masculine singular form is rzadki, the neuter singular is rzadkie, and the plural forms depend on the noun.

Usage and nuance: The term conveys limited occurrence or scarcity and can emphasize unusualness or value. It appears in medical contexts (rzadkie choroby), ecological or zoological discussions (rzadkie gatunki), discussions of events or phenomena (rzadkie zjawiska), and in everyday speech (to rzadka okazja). The related noun rzadkość expresses rarity as a concept, and the adverb rzadko means rarely.

Etymology and related forms: Rzadka derives from the root rzad-, shared with other forms such as rzadki and rzadko. This root also yields the adverb rzadko and the noun rzadkość, all denoting infrequency or scarcity.

See also: Polish adjectives by gender and number; rarity terms in Polish; rzadko (rarely).