French Conversation · Level 70
59 words
French word
sévèrement
Pronunciation
IPA/sevɛʁəmɑ̃/
Meaning
- adverbseverely
Example
Il a été sévèrement blessé dans l'accident.
He was severely injured in the accident.
More examples
Le professeur l'a sévèrement critiqué devant la classe.
The teacher criticized him severely in front of the class.
Core concept
A harsh force or impact producing serious consequences.
Common phrases
sévèrement puni
severely punished
punir sévèrement
punish severely
Similar words
très: To an exceptionally high degree or amount.
sérieusement: In a grave way requiring serious attention.
fortement: With powerful force or a strong effect.
gravement: In a way that causes serious harm or consequences.
Definition in French
Marque que l'on agit ou que l'on subit de façon sévère ou grave, avec des conséquences importantes.
Word origin
The adverb sévèrement comes from the adjective sévère, from Latin severus, combined with the adverb-forming suffix -ment from Latin mente, meaning in a manner.
Usage tips
- With injuries or damage, sévèrement emphasizes seriousness, while with punishment or criticism it emphasizes harshness.
Other meanings
- seriouslyadverb
- harshlyadverb
Opposites
- légèrementlightlyadverb
Related words
- sévèresevereadjective
- sévéritéseveritynoun