Puzzle #311 · April 8, 2026
rarefied air
Featured
Every day one two-word expression or compound word used in American English.
Rarefied air has two meanings:
The literal meaning is gas, typically at high altitudes, that is less dense and contains less oxygen than air at sea level.
The second meaning is figurative. It describes exclusive, elite, or highly specialized social or professional environment. If you are in the White House you are breathing rarefied air.
The literal meaning is gas, typically at high altitudes, that is less dense and contains less oxygen than air at sea level.
The second meaning is figurative. It describes exclusive, elite, or highly specialized social or professional environment. If you are in the White House you are breathing rarefied air.
Puzzle Appearances
The expression rarefied air has appeared in 1 puzzle:
- Puzzle #311 on April 8, 2026
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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