1889 Punch 14 Dec. 281/1 The ‘lady serios’ doubtless felt that the songs were too long to be committed to memory without a mental strain.

1894 Yellow Bk. 1 76 Coming after all those sly serios..Miss Cissy Loftus had the charm which things of another period often do possess.

1908 Daily Chron. 3 Aug. 4/4 As if a serio had anything to do with anything serious!

1936 F. Swinnerton Autobiogr. ii. 25 We endured the serios, who kept one hand tucked modestly into their chests as they sang.

1998 S. Waters Tipping Velvet iii. 72 Every second-rate serio longs to have a dresser... Every hopeful, tired little actress who ever set foot upon a provincial stage aches to play the London halls.