mere

UK: mɪə | US: mɪr

Definition

  1. adj. used to emphasize how small or insignificant something is

  2. adj. nothing more than; simple or basic

Structure

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Etymology

The word "mere" traces back to Old English mǣre, meaning "boundary" or "limit," which later evolved to signify something being "nothing beyond" a certain point—hence its modern sense of "only" or "no more than." This shift reflects a conceptual narrowing from a physical boundary to a qualitative limitation.

Examples

  1. She was a mere child when she wrote her first novel.

  2. The cost is a mere $10, so it’s very affordable.

  3. He dismissed her achievements as mere luck.

  4. The difference between the two products is mere semantics.

  5. It took a mere five minutes to solve the puzzle.