mere
mere Lexical Profile
mere Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Being nothing more nor better than what is specified; used to emphasize how small, slight, or insignificant someone or something is.
"It took her a mere twenty minutes to solve the complex mathematical puzzle."
• noun
British A shallow lake, pond, or wetland, particularly one that is broad in relation to its depth.
"Mist rose quietly over the tranquil mere as the morning sun warmed the reeds."
New Zealand A traditional Maori short, flat, broad-bladed club made of stone, bone, or greenstone (nephrite), used for hand-to-hand combat and as a symbol of chieftainship.
"The museum display featured an intricately carved greenstone mere passed down through generations of tribal leaders."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'mere' is used strictly attributively (placed directly before a noun, as in 'a mere child') and cannot be used predicatively after a linking verb.
• Rhymes for mere
Word Origin & Etymology
The adjective derives from Old French 'mier' and Latin 'merus', originally meaning 'pure' or 'undiluted' (especially of wine), before shifting to mean 'nothing more than'. The noun meaning 'lake' or 'pond' is an unrelated word from Old English 'mere', cognate with Latin 'mare' (sea).