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severe

[ suh-veer ]
/ səˈvɪər /
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See synonyms for: severe / severely on Thesaurus.com

adjective, se·ver·er, se·ver·est.
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Origin of severe

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin sevērus, or back formation from severity

synonym study for severe

2. See stern1.

OTHER WORDS FROM severe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use severe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for severe

severe
/ (sɪˈvɪə) /

adjective

Derived forms of severe

severely, adverbsevereness or severity (sɪˈvɛrɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin for severe

C16: from Latin sevērus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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