severe

Etymology

From Middle French, from Latin severus (“severe, serious, grave in demeanor”).

adj

1. Very bad or intense.
   Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force. 2012-01, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 2012-01-26, page 70
2. Strict or harsh.
   a severe taskmaster
3. Sober, plain in appearance, austere.
   a severe old maiden aunt
   severe clothing