Etymology

several

sev·er·al
S1E1V4E1R1A1L1

Today it means: Separate, distinct; particular. Full definition →

First used 15th–19th c.Latin sēpar
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromsēpar“separate”
  2. English todayseveral

From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar (“separate”). By surface analysis, sever + -al. Not related to severe or seven.

First known use, by meaning

  • 15th–19th c. Separate, distinct; particular.
  • from 16th c. A number of different; various.
  • from 17th c. Consisting of a number more than one (especially, more than two) but not very many.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.