'rarely-awarded' originates from the combination of 'rarely,' meaning 'not often,' and 'awarded,' meaning 'given as a prize or honor.'

'Rarely' and 'awarded' have been used in English since the Middle Ages, but their combination into 'rarely-awarded' is a modern construct.

Initially, 'rarely' meant 'seldom' and 'awarded' meant 'given as a prize,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.