severity

[suh-ver-i-tee]

noun

plural

severities 

1. harshness, sternness, or rigor.

   Their lives were marked by severity.

2. austere simplicity, as of style, manner, or taste.

   The severity of the decor was striking.

3. intensity or sharpness, as of cold or pain.

4. grievousness; hard or trying character or effect.

   The severity of his loss was finally becoming apparent.

5. rigid exactness or accuracy.

6. an instance of strict or severe behavior, punishment, etc.

Other Word Forms

• nonseverity noun
• overseverity noun
• superseverity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of severity¹

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin sevēritās, from sevēr(us) severe + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

The Hong Kong fire department has classified the blaze as a level five alarm - the highest in severity.

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"All neuropsychiatric disorders show fluctuations in symptom severity over hormonal states, suggesting that a better understanding of how hormones influence neural circuits might reveal what causes these diseases," notes Constantinople.

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And by the end of May, the full severity of his injury had become frustratingly clear.

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"It is still vitally important we make rapid progress to permanent net zero, and reaching global net zero by 2040 at the latest will be important to minimize the heatwaves severity."

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The exact severity of the injury, and the timescale for recovery, will be finalised in the coming days, with Gabriel undergoing further assessment.

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Related Words

• harshness www.thesaurus.com