0 a breed of farm animal or bird that is kept mainly in order to stop the breed from disappearing, rather than to produce the maximum number of animals and make the maximum possible profit :
1 someone who is unusual in some way:
Farms that have lovingly nurtured rare breeds of cattle and sheep for generations also face doom.
You must belong to a rare breed if you were allowed in the convent.
Any motorist who hasn’t received a speed fine in 5 years time is a very rare species.