English → Latin
“severity” in Latin
sevēritāsseriousness, gravity, sternness, strictness, severityrigōto irrigate, to lead, convey or conduct (a liquid to a place); to wet, moisten, water or bedew something with a liquid; dūritiahardness, rigidity; harsh, having a harsh flavor; austerity, severityasperitāsunevenness, roughness; harshness, sharpness, acidity, tartness; severity, fierceness, asperityacerbitāssourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit; harshness, severity; sorrowsaevitiaA raging; rage, ferocity, fierceness, fury.; Violence, savageness, savagery, cruelty, severity.dīligōto esteem, prize, love, have regard, to delight in (something); to set apart by choosing, to single (something) out, to hūmānitāshumaneness, humane conduct, philanthropy, benevolence, kindliness; courtesy, politeness, good manners, social grace; refindulgeōto be kind or courteous (to); to be inclined (to); give free rein (to); to give oneself up (to); to be addicted (to), in
The English word severity itself goes back to Latin sevērus, through sevēritās.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
severity
Harshness, rigor, severitas (opposed to facilitas; humanitas; indulgentia): rigor: rigor et severitas (opposed to dementia): duritia: asperitas (roughness): acerbitas (with the infliction of injury, etc.): saevitia (despotic, tyrannical cruelty).
Accuracy, extreme care, diligentia.
Figuratively (Of the weather, etc.) severitas: asperitas: duritia: severity of the winter, saevitia hiemis (Tac.); rigor hiemis (Justinus): severity of the cold, vis frigorum (Cic.); asperitas, rigor frigorum (Tac.): severity of the climate, duritia caeli (Tac., Ann., 13, 35).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for severity?
- The usual Latin words for “severity” are sevēritās, rigō, dūritia; also asperitās, acerbitās, saevitia. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.