Definition of "severity" []

• The state or quality of being severe. (noun)
• The act or an instance of severe behavior, especially punishment. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "She was the friend and guardian of my dear lady from her infancy; but your father could not endure what he called her severity, or forgive her opposition to his marriage with your mother."
• "As with all inorganic acids, the dissociation of hydrogen ions causes the initial corrosive burns, which vary in severity depending on the concentration of the specific acid and the duration of contact."
• "Because you are likely to be the first to professionally assess a child's stuttering, you should be aware of certain severity risk factors."