severity
pronunciation
How to pronounce severity in British English:
UK [sɪ'verəti]
How to pronounce severity in American English:
US [sɪ'verəti]
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- Noun:
- used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
- something hard to endure
- excessive sternness
Word Origin
- severity (n.)
- late 15c., "austerity or strictness of life," from Middle French severite, from Latin severitas "seriousness, strictness, sternness," from severus "stern, strict, serious," of uncertain origin. Possibly from PIE root *segh- "to have, hold" (see scheme (n.)), or possibly from *se vero "without kindness," from se "without" (see secret) + *vero "kindness," neuter ablative of verus "true" (see very). Meaning "strictness in dealing with others" is recorded from 1520s.
Example
- 1. This severity was a deliberate policy from the top .
- 2. The results would show the severity of his anemia .
- 3. First they can be underestimating the severity of the situation .
- 4. Gou exhibits severity and kindness in the extreme .
- 5. Wenzhou is an extreme example because of the severity of its financial crisis .