Several

//ˈsɛv(ə)ɹəl// adj, adv, det, noun

adj, adv, det, noun ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An area of land in private ownership (as opposed to common land). obsolete
  2. 2
    Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual.
  3. 3
    An enclosed or separate place; enclosure. archaic
  4. 4
    A woman's loose outer garment, capable of being worn as a shawl, or in other forms. archaic
Adjective
  1. 1
    Separate, distinct; particular. obsolete

    "Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas."

  2. 2
    A number of different; various.

    "[…]for several virtues Have I lik'd several women; never any With so full soul but some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd, And put it to the foil[…]."

  3. 3
    Separable, capable of being treated separately.
Adjective
  1. 1
    considered individually wordnet
  2. 2
    distinct and individual wordnet
  3. 3
    (used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    By itself; severally. not-comparable

    "Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehouses."

Determiner
  1. 1
    Consisting of a number more than one (especially, more than two) but not very many.

    "Several cars were in the parking lot."

Example

More examples

"He has been warned on several occasions."

Etymology

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

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.