The new "Bachelorette" just surfaced before her new season kicks off Monday night with what appears to be a tiny engagement ring ... but she's got an explanation.
We got Rachel Lindsay leaving LAX, and our photog calls out the obvious -- she's wearing a sliver of metal around the finger where a huge rock would normally be if you were engaged.
Rachel's already confirmed she is in fact set to be hitched to someone from the "Bachelorette," but explains this one away with a simple answer ... it ain't a ring.
We'll let you be the judge on that.