serious

[seer-ee-uh s] /ˈsɪər i əs/
adjective
1.
of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
2.
of grave or somber disposition, character, or manner:
a serious occasion; a serious man.
3.
being in earnest; sincere; not trifling:
His interest was serious.
4.
requiring thought, concentration, or application:
serious reading; a serious task.
5.
weighty or important:
a serious book; Marriage is a serious matter.
6.
giving cause for apprehension; critical:
The plan has one serious flaw.
7.
Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having unstable or otherwise abnormal vital signs and other unfavorable indicators, as loss of appetite and poor mobility: patient is acutely ill.
noun
8.
that which is of importance, grave, critical, or somber:
You have to learn to separate the serious from the frivolous.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English < Latin sērius or Late Latin sēriōsus; see -ous, -ose1
Related forms
seriousness, noun
half-serious, adjective
half-seriously, adverb
half-seriousness, noun
nonserious, adjective
nonseriously, adverb
nonseriousness, noun
overserious, adjective
overseriously, adverb
overseriousness, noun
quasi-serious, adjective
quasi-seriously, adverb
superserious, adjective
superseriously, adverb
superseriousness, noun
ultraserious, adjective
ultraseriously, adverb
ultraseriousness, noun
unserious, adjective
unseriously, adverb
unseriousness, noun
Synonyms
2. sober, sedate, staid. 3. See earnest1 . 5. momentous, grave.
Antonyms
3, 5. trivial.
Examples from the web for serious
  • Defects such as a deeply caved top and gummy, dense texture are serious.
  • Bacterial canker and brown rot of stone fruit are serious diseases.
  • Plus, the group is not nearly as serious as all that.
  • Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things.
  • One step added to serious irony leads us to serious caricature.
  • She reproved him for jesting in a matter so serious.
  • The example of all the saints shows us, that virtue is not to be attained without serious endeavours, and much pains.
  • At the same time, a welcoming remark should be serious, lest you suggest that the occasion is not a solemn one.
  • They are nerds and nose-pickers with serious social-skill deficits.
  • Now the results of a new study indicate that these stresses can have serious consequences for doctors and patients alike.
British Dictionary definitions for serious

serious

/ˈsɪərɪəs/
adjective
1.
grave in nature or disposition; thoughtful: a serious person
2.
marked by deep feeling; in earnest; sincere: is he serious or joking?
3.
concerned with important matters: a serious conversation
4.
requiring effort or concentration: a serious book
5.
giving rise to fear or anxiety; critical: a serious illness
6.
(informal) worthy of regard because of substantial quantity or quality: serious money, serious wine
7.
(informal) extreme or remarkable: a serious haircut
Derived Forms
seriousness, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Late Latin sēriōsus, from Latin sērius; probably related to Old English swǣr gloomy, Gothic swers esteemed
Word Origin and History for serious
adj.

mid-15c., "expressing earnest purpose or thought" (of persons), from Middle French sérieux "grave, earnest" (14c.), from Late Latin seriosus, from Latin serius "weighty, important, grave," probably from a PIE root *swer- (4) "heavy" (cf. Lithuanian sveriu "to weigh, lift," svarus "heavy;" Old English swære "heavy," German schwer "heavy," Gothic swers "honored, esteemed," literally "weighty"). As opposite of jesting, from 1712; as opposite of light (of music, theater, etc.), from 1762. Meaning "attended with danger" is from 1800.

serious in Medicine

serious se·ri·ous (sēr'ē-əs)
adj.
Being of such import as to cause anxiety, as of a physical condition.

Slang definitions & phrases for serious

serious

adjective
  1. Very commendable; excellent; superb (1940s+ Black)
  2. Intended to make a good and sober impression; overtly conformistic; sincere: in a serious suit and striped tie
  3. Impressive; imposing; heavy, important: He pushed a button activating some serious chimes (1980s+)
Related Terms

for serious