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Severity vs Intensity - What's the difference?

severity | intensity |

As nouns the difference between severity and intensity

is that severity is the state of being severe while intensity is the quality of being intense.

severity

English

Noun

(severities)
  • The state of being severe.
  • The degree of something undesirable; badness or seriousness.
    • The severity of the offence merits a long prison sentence.

    intensity

    English

    Noun

    (intensities)
  • the quality of being intense
  • the degree of strength
  • (physics) time-averaged energy flux (the ratio of average power to the area through which the power "flows"); irradiance
  • (optics) can mean any of radiant intensity, luminous intensity or irradiance
  • (astronomy) syn. radiance
  • (geology) The severity of an earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth's surface, and buildings. The value depends on the distance from the epicentre, and is not to be confused with the magnitude.