Se-vĕr'i-ty, n.

n. [Fr. sévérité, It. severità, Sp. severidad, Lat. severitas.] The quality of being severe; as, (a.) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity of a reprimand or reproof; severity of discipline or government; severity of penalties. “Strict age, and sour severity.” Milton. (b.) Quality or power of distressing or paining; extreme degree; extremity; as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat. (c.) Extreme coldness or inclemency; as, the severity of the winter. (d.) Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as, severity practiced on prisoners of war. (e.) Exactness; rigorousness; as, the severity of a test. (f.) Strictness; rigid accuracy. “Confiding myself to the severity of truth.” Dryden.