several

[sev-er-uhl, sev-ruhl]

adjective

1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind.

   several ways of doing it.

2. respective; individual.

   They went their several ways.

3. separate; different.

   several occasions.

4. Archaic.,  single; particular.

   an examination of each several case.

5. Law.,  binding two or more persons who may be sued separately on a common obligation.

pronoun

(used with a plural verb)

1. several persons or things.

   He's written ten novels, and several have sold very well.

   Several of my friends are divorced.

several

/ ˈsɛvrəl /

determiner

1. 1. more than a few; an indefinite small number

      several people objected

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as plural )

      several of them know

adjective

1. (prenominal) various; separate

   the members with their several occupations

2. (prenominal) distinct; different

   three several times

3. law capable of being dealt with separately; not shared Compare joint

Word History and Origins

Origin of several¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, equivalent to Latin sēpar “separate” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of several¹

C15: via Anglo-French from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpār, from sēparāre to _separate

Example Sentences

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said its troops had killed "several terrorists" who attempted to attack their position in Gaza City.

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O’Keefe delayed service “for several hundred other riders for six minutes,” police alleged, and was handcuffed and removed from the train.

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He said the surgery could take several hours.

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The suit, filed last year, is one of several legal challenges over unpaid severance for workers who were laid off after Musk took over.

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Police released several gas canisters into a house where Groves was believed to be hiding, and then found him hiding in a crawl space, CBS News, BBC's US partner, reported.

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