severity

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
  2. noun something hard to endure
  3. noun extreme plainness

Etymology

From Middle English severity, from Middle French severite (modern French sévérité), from Latin sevēritās. By surface analysis, severe + -ity.

In classic literature

Synonyms

badness, severeness

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