Definition of "rarefied" [rarefied]

• Belonging to or reserved for a small select group; esoteric. (adjective)
• Elevated in character or style; lofty. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• ""We're not going to see the Kitty that lives in rarefied air and wears Prada dresses and rides in helicopters," Grant says."
• "Of course, this chance of surveying the landscapes in rarefied air, at supersonic speeds, will also cost you dearly."
• "In certain rarefied circles of AI academia and video-game design, people sometimes theorize about a computer program that would combine the graphical realism of a modern video game with the emotional impact of great art."