Main Entry: ¹sev·er·al

Pronunciation: \ˈsev-rəl, ˈse-və-\

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