several
/ˈsɛv.rəl/
adjective
Origin
Latin
separalis — related to separation
Overview
Meaning Now
- More than two but not many.
- Individual; separate; distinct.
Literal older meaning
Separated or set apart.
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
severall
Earliest period
14. yüzyıl
Journey
The word originally emphasized the distinctiveness of items (e.g., 'several properties' meaning each person's own property). Over time, it shifted to denote a moderate, indeterminate count of items.
Evolution
- Latin
separare
“to separate”
- Late Latin
separalis
“separate, distinct”
- Old French
several
“separate, individual”
- Middle English
severall
“distinct, individual”
- Modern English
several
“a small number”
semantic narrowing
Connections
Word parts
sever
root
to separate
-al
suffix
relating to
Related across languages
French
séparer
to separate
Italian
separare
to separate
Explore next
Related to several
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.