what does this word mean?

Question

A few weeks ago, my older sister was telling me about Severus Snape. She said that his name really fits him. I didn't know what Severus means, and she told me, but now I forget. What does it mean, and do you agree with her on snape?

Answer 1

Hi Sweetie,
This is just a theory of mine, but a good one. As I have read the "Harry Potter" series I have noticed that the authoress ,JK Rowling, has a very "Dickensian" style. This is a style used to describe writing that is reminicient of classic author Charles Dickens ("Oliver Twist"," A Christmas Carol", etc) One of the techniques for which he is famous involves naming characters in such a way as to conjour a mental image or depiction of the person. JK Rowling has used this technique masterfully in her character naming. For example the name Sirius Black seems to connote a dark, sullen person; Bellatrix Lestrange suggest a crafty bizarre person, Rita Skeeter, well, she turned out to be an animagus who became a mosquito. I feel that the name Severus Snape is meant to connote a severe, stern personality. Maybe, maybe not, but I thought I would toss that out for you. Love and luck--missdelanne

Answer 2

Severus means severe. Snape is a town, or it is chiefly a scatterment of cottages and small farms lying along the marshy river bed and, beside the lanes leading inland.

Answer 3

I googled it and it resulted in the following:
http://www.yourdictionary.com/severus which states: Se·verus (sə vir′əs)

Severus, (Lucius Septimius) () 146-211; Rom. emperor (193-211)
and:
Definition: Alexander Severus or Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, or Alexianus Bassianus) was born 208 in Phoenicia and died 235 in Gaul. Severus was emperor of Rome from 222-235 A.D. Alexander Severus had been adopted by Elagabalus a year before Elagabalus was assassinated on the instigation of Alexander Severus' grandmother and Septimius Severus' sister-in-law Julia Maesa and Alexander's mother, Julia Mamaea who was said to have done the real ruling in Alexander Severus' reign.
When Alexander bought peace instead of fighting with the Germanice tribe of Allemani, his troops were outraged and killed Alexander Severus and his mother in 235. The troops then made Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus emperor.
Sources on the period of Alexander Severus include the Historia Augusta, Herodian, and Dio Cassius.
from the site: http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/emperors/g/AlexSeverus.htm

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septimius_Severus seems to be about this guy