severity Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
    badness; severeness.
  2. noun something hard to endure
    hardship; rigourousness; severeness; rigor; rigorousness; rigour; asperity; grimness.
    • the asperity of northern winters
  3. noun extreme plainness
    austereness; severeness.
  4. noun excessive sternness
    harshness; stiffness; severeness; inclemency; rigor; rigorousness; rigour; hardness; rigourousness.
    • severity of character
    • the harshness of his punishment was inhuman
    • the rigors of boot camp

WordNet

Se*ver"i*ty noun
Etymology
L. severitas: cf. F. sévérité.
Wordforms
plural Severities
Definitions
  1. The quality or state of being severe. Specifically: -- (a) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity of a reprimand or a reproof; severity of discipline or government; severity of penalties. "Strict age, and sour severity." Milton. (b) The quality or power of distressing or paining; extreme degree; extremity; intensity; inclemency; as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat; the severity of the winter. (c) Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as, severity practiced on prisoners of war. (d) Exactness; rigorousness; strictness; as, the severity of a test.
    Confining myself to the severity of truth. Dryden.

Webster 1913