severance vs schism

severance and schism both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
severance	Yes	No	No	No
schism	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, schism is a hyponym of severance; that is, schism is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than severance:

severance: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
schism: the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences

severance (noun)	schism (noun)
the act of severing	division of a group into opposing factions
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)	the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences