serious etymology

Etymology

"Serious" comes from the Latin word "serius," meaning "grave" or "earnest." The Latin term is thought to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "ser-," which means "to watch" or "to protect."

Meaning

"Serious" primarily means "of great significance or importance; worthy of thoughtful consideration." It can also refer to something that is "grave or somber in mood" or "not frivolous or playful."

Origin

The word "serious" entered the English language in the 14th century via Old French. In Middle English, it was spelled "serious" or "serious." The earliest known use of "serious" in English literature is found in the Cursor Mundi, a religious poem written around 1300:

"Then ilka man be war and wis, / And be serious and no delyte."

Usage

"Serious" is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts:

• Importance: "The situation is serious and requires immediate attention."
• Grave Mood: "She had a serious look on her face that worried me."
• Non-Frivolous: "This is a serious matter and not to be taken lightly."
• Thoughtful: "I need to have a serious conversation with you about your behavior."
• Intense: "He was seriously worried about his future."

Synonyms

• Grave
• Solemn
• Earnest
• Sober
• Significant

Antonyms

• Frivolous
• Playful
• Trivial
• Minor

serious relate terms

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• comic

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• seriously

  Etymology Middle English serios from Anglo Norman serios from Old French serieus fro

• serious

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• series

  Etymology Latin series Old French serie Middle English serie Meaning A su

• serious

  Etymology Serious comes from the Latin word serius meaning grave or earnest The

• seriousness

  Etymology The word seriousness is derived from the Latin word serius which means gr

• serious

  Etymology Serious comes from the Latin word serius meaning grave or earnest The

• dangerous

  Etymology The word dangerous comes from the Old French dangereus or dangeros whic

• grave

  Etymology The word grave has its roots in the Latin word gravis which means heavy

• severe

  Etymology Latin severus Proto Italic sehwero Proto Indo European sweh₂ró

• earnest

  Etymology The word earnest originated from the Middle English word ernest which deri

• sober

  Etymology Late 14th century from Middle English sobur from Old French sobre from Lat

• misfortune

  Etymology Old English misfortuna from Late Latin misfortuna literally misfortune f

• pensive

  Etymology The word pensive originates from the Old French word pensif which means t

• brose

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• good

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• series

  Etymology Latin series Old French serie Middle English serie Meaning A su