mere

¹mere

noun \ˈmir\

Definition of MERE

chiefly British

: an expanse of standing water : lake, pool

Origin of MERE

Middle English, from Old English — more at marine

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with MERE

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mir, near, peer, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, sheer, skirr, smear, sneer, spear, speer, sphere, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year

²mere

noun

Definition of MERE

: boundary; also : landmark

Origin of MERE

Middle English, from Old English mǣre; akin to Old Norse landamæri borderland

First Known Use: before 12th century

³mere

adjective

superlative mer·est

Definition of MERE

1

: having no admixture : pure

2

obsolete : being nothing less than : absolute

3

: being nothing more than <a mere mortal> <a mere hint of spice>

— mere·ly adverb

Examples of MERE

1. <the mere idea of your traveling alone to Europe is ridiculous>

Origin of MERE

Middle English, from Latin merus; akin to Old English āmerian to purify and perhaps to Greek marmairein to sparkle — more at morn

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MERE

Synonyms

bare, very

Related Words

absolute, all-out, arrant, out-and-out, outright, pure, sheer, simple, stark, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unmitigated, unqualified, utter; alone, lone, only, singular, sole, solitary, solo, unique