seriøs

Seriös is an adjective used in Swedish (also found in Danish and Norwegian as seriøs) to describe someone or something that is serious in demeanor, credible, reliable, or respectable. It can refer to a person’s conduct, a company’s business practices, or the tone and quality of communication, journalism, or public discourse. In everyday use, a “seriös” person or organization is one that is considered trustworthy and professional.

Etymology and related forms: Seriös derives from the French sérieux, which itself comes from Latin serius meaning serious. In Swedish the word is written with a diacritic on the o (ö), while Danish and Norwegian often use ø (seriøs). The term is closely related to synonyms such as trovärdig (credible), pålitlig (reliable), and allvarlig (serious in a more general sense). The related noun seriöshet or the noun phrase "seriositet" conveys the quality of seriousness or credibility.

Usage and contexts: The word is commonly used to describe people, companies, media, and behavior. Examples include a seriös arbetsgivare (a credible employer), en seriös journalist (a serious/credible journalist), or en seriös ton i debatten (a serious, measured tone in the debate). In business and media, calling an entity seriös signals legitimacy and competence, as opposed to flippant or sensational alternatives.

See also: credibility, professionalism, trust, seriöstness.