severity

Etymology

severe + -ity, from Middle French severite, from Latin severitas.

noun

  1. The state of being severe.
    […] the fear of God whereof ' tis written Keeper : But not the fear of punishment for sin And I can see that the uncertainty In which we act is a severity , A cruelty , amounting to injustice That nothing but God's mercy can assuage . […] 1948, Harold Vinal, Voices, numbers 132-136, →OCLC, page 51
  2. The degree of something undesirable; badness or seriousness.
    The severity of the offence merits a long prison sentence.

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