severely
Meaning
In an extremely serious or harsh manner.
To a very great degree; very badly.
Structure
Usage
The region was severely affected by the drought.
He was severely reprimanded for breaking the rules.
Her mobility was severely limited after the accident.
Etymology
The adverb 'severely' is built upon the adjective 'severe', which entered English in the 16th century from the Latin severus, meaning "serious, strict, or austere." The Latin term likely has deeper, more obscure origins, possibly connected to a sense of being "heavy" or "weighty" in judgment. The adverbial suffix '-ly' is a native English development from the Old English -līce, originally meaning "having the body or form of," which evolved into a general-purpose adverb-forming suffix. Thus, 'severely' literally means "in a severe manner," concretely describing actions done with strictness or harshness, which extends to the abstract sense of something being extremely bad or intense.
Analysis
- severe: From Latin severus (serious, strict, grave). Functions as the adjectival root. - ly: From Old English -līce (forming adverbs). Functions as a suffix forming adverbs from adjectives.