several

A2 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /ˈsɛv.(ə.)rəl/ UK /ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #1413

Meanings

1

det
More than two but not very many.

Several cars were parked in the lot.
2

adj
A number of different ones; various.

The problem can be solved in several different ways.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 det · more than two but not very... a few

Word family

Derived forms severalfoldseveralityseveralizeseveralnessseveralth

Related forms quantifier

Appears in

Idioms (1)

See all

have several balls in the air
to be managing multiple projects or commitments at once

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar (“separate”). By surface analysis, sever + -al. Not related to severe or seven.

sēpar Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# several

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** det, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɛv.(ə.)rəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɛv.(ə.)ɹəl/
**Frequency rank:** 1413

## Meanings
1. More than two but not very many.
2. A number of different ones; various.

## Examples
- Several cars were parked in the lot.
- The problem can be solved in several different ways.

## Derived Forms
- severalfold
- severality
- severalize
- severalness
- severalth

## Related Forms
- quantifier

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: sēpar

## Etymology
From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar (“separate”). By surface analysis, sever + -al. Not related to severe or seven.

## AI Etymology
Several is from Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar (“separate”). By surface analysis, sever + -al. Not related to severe or seven. Important forms in the word's history include Latin sēpar. In current use it includes senses such as More than two but not very many and A number of different ones; various.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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