mere

views updated May 29 2018

mere1 / mi(ə)r/ • adj. that is solely or no more or better than what is specified: it happened a mere decade ago questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals. ∎  (the merest) the smallest or slightest: the merest hint of makeup.mere2 • n. chiefly poetic/lit. a lake, pond, or arm of the sea.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

mere

views updated May 23 2018

mere1 † sea; lake. OE. mere, corr. to OS. meri sea (Du. meer sea, pool), OHG. mari, meri (G. meer), ON. marr sea, Goth. mari-, marei :- Gmc. *mari :- IE. *mori-; see MARINE.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

mere

views updated Jun 11 2018

mere2 done without another's help XV; † unmixed, pure; † absolute, entire; that is only what it is said to be XVI. — AN. meer, OF. mier or its source L. merus not mixed, pure.
Hence merely XVI.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

mere

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like