serious

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɪə̯.ɹi.əs/
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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɪː.ɹi.əs/
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• UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs/ General American, Canada, mirror–nearer merger
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• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• US: /ˈsɪɚ.i.əs/ without the mirror–nearer merger
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• US: /ˈsiɹ.i.əs/ without the mirror–nearer merger
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• New-Zealand: /ˈsiə.ɹi.əs/
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• Scotland: /ˈsi.ɹi.əs/
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• /ˈsɛː.ɹi.əs/ East Anglia, cheer–chair merger
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• homophone: cereous
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• homophone: Sirius (mirror–nearer merger)
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• rhymes with -ɪəɹiəs
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• CMU ARPABET: S IH1 R IY0 AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *seh1- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Italic *sēros Latin sērus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius ? Proto-Indo-European *swer- Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *swerjos? Latin sērius Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h3édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos? Old Latin -ōssus Latin -ōsus Medieval Latin sēriōsus Old French serieuxbor. Middle English seryows English serious From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin sēriōsus, an extension of Latin sērius (“grave, earnest, serious”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). (If this root is correct, cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English swǣr (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer. However, see sērius for an alternative derivation of the Latin.)

204 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Afrikaans: ernstig — without humor or expression of happiness
• Arabic: جِدِّيّ (jiddiyy) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Armenian: լուրջ (lurǰ) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Azerbaijani: ciddi — without humor or expression of happiness
• Bashkir: етди (yetdi) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Belarusian: сур'ё́зны (surʺjózny) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Bulgarian: сериозен (seriozen) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Catalan: seriós — without humor or expression of happiness
• Chinese Mandarin: 嚴肅 /严肃 (yánsù) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Czech: vážný — without humor or expression of happiness
• Czech: seriózní — without humor or expression of happiness
• Dutch: serieus — without humor or expression of happiness
• Dutch: ernstig — without humor or expression of happiness
• Esperanto: serioza — without humor or expression of happiness
• Estonian: tõsine — without humor or expression of happiness
• Finnish: vakava — without humor or expression of happiness
• Finnish: vakavamielinen — without humor or expression of happiness
• Finnish: totinen — without humor or expression of happiness
• French: sérieux — without humor or expression of happiness
• Galician: serio — without humor or expression of happiness
• Georgian: სერიოზული (seriozuli) — without humor or expression of happiness
• German: ernst — without humor or expression of happiness
• German: seriös — without humor or expression of happiness
• Greek: σοβαρός (sovarós) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Hindi: गंभीर (gambhīr) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Hungarian: komoly — without humor or expression of happiness
• Indonesian: serius — without humor or expression of happiness
• Italian: serio — without humor or expression of happiness
• Japanese: 真面目 (majime) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Japanese: 真剣 (shinken) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Japanese: 本気 (honki) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Kazakh: байсалды (baisaldy) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Kazakh: байыпты (baiypty) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Korean: 엄숙(嚴肅)하다 (eomsukhada) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Korean: 진지(眞摯)하다 (jinjihada) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Ladino: seriozo — without humor or expression of happiness
• Latin: sērius — without humor or expression of happiness
• Latvian: nopietns — without humor or expression of happiness
• Louisiana Creole: sériyé — without humor or expression of happiness
• Norman: séthieux — without humor or expression of happiness
• Occitan: seriós — without humor or expression of happiness
• Persian: جدی (jeddi) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Plautdietsch: iernst — without humor or expression of happiness
• Plautdietsch: ieeboa — without humor or expression of happiness
• Polish: poważny — without humor or expression of happiness
• Portuguese: sério — without humor or expression of happiness
• Romanian: serios — without humor or expression of happiness
• Russian: серьёзный (serʹjóznyj) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Serbo-Croatian: ȍzbīljan — without humor or expression of happiness
• Serbo-Croatian: hládan — without humor or expression of happiness
• Sicilian: seriu — without humor or expression of happiness
• Sicilian: tristu — without humor or expression of happiness
• Spanish: serio — without humor or expression of happiness
• Swedish: allvarsam — without humor or expression of happiness
• Thai: เคร่งขรึม (krêng-krʉ̌m) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Thai: เคร่งเครียด (krêng-krîiat) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Thai: ซีเรียส (sii-rîiat) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Turkish: ciddi — without humor or expression of happiness
• Turkish: vezmin — without humor or expression of happiness
• Turkish: salmaklı — without humor or expression of happiness
• Ottoman Turkish: دولك (dölek) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Ottoman Turkish: آغر (ağır) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Ukrainian: серйо́зний (serjóznyj) — without humor or expression of happiness
• Welsh: difrifol — without humor or expression of happiness
• Afrikaans: ernstig — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Arabic: جَدِّيّ (jaddiyy) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Arabic: جَادّ (jādd) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Armenian: լուրջ (lurǰ) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Bashkir: етди (yetdi) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Belarusian: сур'ё́зны (surʺjózny) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Bulgarian: важен (važen) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Bulgarian: сериозен (seriozen) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Catalan: seriós — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Chinese Mandarin: 認真 /认真 (rènzhēn) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Chinese Mandarin: 嚴重 /严重 (yánzhòng) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Chinese Mandarin: 沉重 (chénzhòng) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Czech: vážný — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Czech: seriózní — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Danish: alvorlig — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Dutch: serieus — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Esperanto: serioza — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Esperanto: grava — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Estonian: tõsine — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Faroese: álvarsamur — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Finnish: vakava — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• French: sérieux — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Galician: serio — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Georgian: მნიშვნელოვანი (mnišvnelovani) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Georgian: საყურადღებო (saq̇uradɣebo) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Georgian: ღრმააზროვანი (ɣrmaazrovani) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Georgian: სერიოზული (seriozuli) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• German: ernst — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• German: ernsthaft — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• German: schwerwiegend — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• German: ernst zu nehmend — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• German: èèrnscht — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Greek: σοβαρός (sovarós) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Ancient Greek: σπουδαῖος (spoudaîos) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hebrew: רציני (r'tsiní) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hungarian: komoly — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hungarian: súlyos — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hungarian: fontos — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hungarian: jelentős — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Hungarian: nagy horderejű — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Icelandic: alvarlegur — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Italian: serio — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Italian: grave — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Italian: critico — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Japanese: 真面目 (majime) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Japanese: 真剣 (shinken) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Japanese: 深刻 (shinkoku) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Khmer: ដុនដាប (don daap) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Korean: 심각한 (simgakhan) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Ladino: seriozo — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Latin: gravis — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Latin: sevērus — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Latin: sonticus — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Latvian: svarīgs — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Louisiana Creole: sériyé — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Malay: serius — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Māori: taumaha — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Māori: taimaha — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Māori: tūpoupou — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Māori: motuhēhē — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Norman: séthieux — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Norwegian: alvorlig — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Norwegian: seriøs — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Occitan: seriós — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Persian: جدی (jeddi) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Plautdietsch: schlemm — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Plautdietsch: iernst — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Polish: poważny — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Portuguese: sério — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Russian: серьёзный (serʹjóznyj) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Samoan: faigatā — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Sanskrit: गुरु (guru) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Serbo-Croatian: ȍzbīljan — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Serbo-Croatian: vážan — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Serbo-Croatian: znȁčājan — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Sicilian: mpurtanti — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Sicilian: mprisiusu — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Sicilian: seriu — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Spanish: serio — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Swedish: allvarlig — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Swedish: seriös — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Tagalog: malma — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Tetum: seriu — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Thai: จริงจัง (jing-jang) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Thai: ซีเรียส (sii-rîiat) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Tongan: mahuʻinga — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Turkish: ciddi — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Turkish: salmaklı — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Ukrainian: серйо́зний (serjóznyj) — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Vietnamese: nghiêm trọng — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Welsh: difrifol — important; weighty; not trifling; leaving no room for play
• Afrikaans: ernstig — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Arabic: جَدِّيّ (jaddiyy) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Arabic: جَادّ (jādd) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Armenian: լուրջ (lurǰ) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Bashkir: етди (yetdi) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Belarusian: сур'ё́зны (surʺjózny) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Bulgarian: сериозен (seriozen) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Catalan: seriós — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Chinese Mandarin: 認真 /认真 (rènzhēn) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Chinese Mandarin: 嚴重 /严重 (yánzhòng) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Czech: vážný — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Czech: seriózní — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Dutch: ernstig — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Dutch: serieus — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Finnish: vakava — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• French: sérieux — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Galician: serio — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• German: ernsthaft — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Greek: σοβαρός (sovarós) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Ancient Greek: σπουδαῖος (spoudaîos) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Hebrew: רציני (r'tsiní) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Hungarian: komoly — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Hungarian: valós — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Hungarian: valódi — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Hungarian: őszinte — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Irish: dáiríre — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Italian: serio — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Japanese: 真面目 (majime) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Korean: 심각한 (simgakhan) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Ladino: seriozo — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Latin: sērius — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Latvian: nopietns — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Louisiana Creole: sériyé — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Norman: séthieux — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Occitan: seriós — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Portuguese: sério — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Russian: серьёзный (serʹjóznyj) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Serbo-Croatian: ȍzbīljan — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Sicilian: anestu — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Sicilian: cuscinziusu — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Sicilian: judizziusu — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Sicilian: seriu — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Sicilian: sinceru — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Spanish: serio — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Swedish: seriös — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Thai: จริงจัง (jing-jang) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Thai: ซีเรียส (sii-rîiat) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Ukrainian: серйо́зний (serjóznyj) — really intending what is said; being in earnest
• Welsh: o ddifri' — really intending what is said; being in earnest