proportionally rare

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "proportionally rare" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs infrequently in relation to a larger context or quantity. Example: "In this region, certain species of birds are proportionally rare compared to the overall bird population."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Some of the organisms that were missed by culture-based methods were proportionally rare and may have been masked by more dominant organisms in the culture media.

Plosone

Thus, despite the genome-wide picture of fairly weak purifying selection and near absence of adaptive evolution, there is evidence for positive selection on some protein functions in the genome of A. thaliana, although these instances remain proportionally rare.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

TF IDF weighting increases the weighting of words that are proportionally rarer in the document corpus; this is desirable because words that occur in fewer experiment descriptions are likely to be more valuable in distinguishing a given experiment from others.

Bioinformatics

Residential yards that utilized xeric landscaping had a more diverse bee community (with proportionally more rare species) than did mesic (turf grass) yards, particularly in late summer (September).

Basic and Applied Ecology

The levy, which will rise, proportionally to income, to 40%, prompted a rare display of unity among Hungary's partisan journalists.The two main daily newspapers both ran a blank page in protest before the law was passed.

The Economist

However, there is a possibility that rare species with limited, but known, distribution face proportionally higher sampling effort resulting in inflated estimates of their density.

BMC Biology

It goes without saying that very rare large pieces, sell for a higher price proportionally than small common found pieces.

WikiHow

Some rare butterfly species with known occurrence sites may face proportionally higher sampling effort than common species [ 53].

BMC Biology

Are ethnic minorities proportionally represented?

The Guardian

Biggest deal in history proportionally?

The Guardian - Business

Both states award their delegates proportionally.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "proportionally rare", ensure the context clearly establishes the basis for comparison. Specify what the rarity is proportional to for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "proportionally rare" without a clear reference point. The phrase implies a comparison, so ensure the reader understands what the rarity is being measured against.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "proportionally rare" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective, describing the degree to which something is uncommon relative to its context. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "proportionally rare" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe something uncommon in relation to a specific context. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It is most frequently found in scientific and news-related writing. When using the phrase, ensure the basis for comparison is clearly established. While alternatives like "relatively infrequent" or "comparatively scarce" exist, "proportionally rare" offers a precise way to express scarcity within a defined scope. It is important, however, to provide a clear point of comparison to ensure the reader understands the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

relatively infrequent

Emphasizes the lower frequency of occurrence compared to other instances.

comparatively scarce

Highlights the limited availability or abundance in comparison to something else.

disproportionately uncommon

Implies an imbalance where the occurrence is unexpectedly low given the circumstances.

unusually infrequent

Stresses the atypical nature of the low frequency.

selectively uncommon

Highlights that the lack of commonness is dependent on selectivity.

infrequently occurring

Focuses on the low frequency of something's happening or being found.

limited in proportion

Directly addresses the restricted quantity relative to the whole.

atypically scarce

Emphasizes the atypical scarcity or lack of abundance.

proportionally limited

Highlights the limitation in proportion to the whole.

relatively deficient

Underscores a lack or insufficiency when compared to a standard or expectation.

FAQs

How can I use "proportionally rare" in a sentence?

You can use "proportionally rare" to describe something that is uncommon in relation to a larger context. For example, "In this region, certain species of birds are proportionally rare compared to the overall bird population".

What are some alternatives to "proportionally rare"?

Alternatives include "relatively infrequent", "comparatively scarce", or "disproportionately uncommon", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

What does "proportionally rare" mean?

The phrase "proportionally rare" means that something occurs infrequently when considered in relation to the total amount or size of something else. It implies a comparison between the occurrence and the overall context.

Is "proportionally rare" formal or informal?

"Proportionally rare" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing.