adj.
Pronunciation: ' sev-r ə l, ' se-v ə -
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin separalis, from Latin separ separate, back-formation from separare to separate
Date: 15th century
1 a : separate or distinct from one another <federal union of the several states> b (1) : individually owned or controlled : EXCLUSIVE <a several fishery> ― compare COMMON (2) : of or relating separately to each individual involved <a several judgment> c : being separate and distinctive : RESPECTIVE <specialists in their several fields>
2 a : more than one < several pleas> b : more than two but fewer than many <moved several inches> c chiefly dialect : being a great many