# serious

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsɪə̯.ɹi.əs/ · frequency rank #836

## Definitions
1. Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition.
2. Important; weighty; not insignificant.
3. Really intending what is said (or planned, etc); in earnest; not jocular or deceiving.
4. Committed.

## Etymology
From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin sēriōsus, an extension of Latin sērius (“grave, earnest, serious”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English swǣr (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer.

## Easily confused with
- **Sirius** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serious-vs-sirius)
- **Sermons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serious-vs-sermons)
- **spurious** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serious-vs-spurious)
- **seriously** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/serious-vs-seriously)
- **series** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/series-vs-serious)

## Common misspellings (9)
`esrious`, `seirous`, `seriosu`, `seriouss`, `seriuos`, `seroius`, `serrious`, `sreious`, `sserious`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/serious