serious

[ seer-ee-uhs ]
/ ˈsɪər i əs /

adjective

noun

that which is of importance, grave, critical, or somber: You have to learn to separate the serious from the frivolous.

Origin of serious

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin sērius or Late Latin sēriōsus; see -ous, -ose1

SYNONYMS FOR serious

2 sober, sedate, staid.
3 See earnest1.
5 momentous, grave.

ANTONYMS FOR serious

3, 5 trivial.

OTHER WORDS FROM serious

Words nearby serious

serin, serine, seringa, seringapatam, seriocomic, serious, serious-minded, seriously, seriplane, serjeant, serjeant at arms

Example sentences from the Web for half-serious

British Dictionary definitions for half-serious (1 of 2)

half-serious

adjective

not entirely serious

Derived forms of half-serious

halfseriously, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for half-serious (2 of 2)

serious
/ (ˈsɪərɪəs) /

adjective

Derived forms of serious

seriousness, noun

Word Origin for serious

C15: from Late Latin sēriōsus, from Latin sērius; probably related to Old English swǣr gloomy, Gothic swers esteemed

Medical definitions for half-serious

serious
[ sîr′ē-əs ]

adj.

Being of such import as to cause anxiety, as of a physical condition.