'rarely-stated' originates from the combination of 'rarely,' meaning 'not often,' and 'stated,' meaning 'expressed or declared.'

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

Initially, 'rarely' meant 'seldom' and 'stated' meant 'expressed,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.