mere

1 of 4

adjective

superlative merest
1
: being nothing more than
a mere mortal
a mere hint of spice
2
: having no admixture (see admixture sense 2) : pure
3
obsolete : being nothing less than : absolute

mere

2 of 4

noun (1)

chiefly British
: an expanse of standing (see standing entry 1 sense 2) water : lake, pool
had seen several boats on an inland mereYale Review

mere

3 of 4

noun (2)

: boundary
also : landmark

-mere

4 of 4

noun combining form

: part : segment
metamere

Examples of mere in a Sentence

Adjective the mere idea of your traveling alone to Europe is ridiculous Noun (1) one of the most scenic meres in England's Lake District
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Approximately one-quarter of all full moons are supermoons, while a mere 3% of full moons are blue moons. Riane Lumer, CNN, 19 Aug. 2024 Farming and fishing are the islands’ economic drivers, and the urge to leave is so deeply instilled that the diaspora—spread across the United States, Canada, Brazil, and beyond—is estimated to be six times larger than the population of the islands, a mere 244,000 people (and steadily shrinking). Philip Sherburne, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024 Start with those whose impact has transcended mere celebrity — those who’ve shaped culture, changed lives or pioneered something extraordinary. Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Aug. 2024 For many executives, the mere thought of migration is enough to inspire dread. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mere 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mere.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English — more at marine

Noun (2)

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

Noun combining form

French -mère, from Greek meros part — more at merit entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mere was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mere

Cite this Entry

“Mere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mere. Accessed 9 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

mere

1 of 2 noun
: a sheet of still water : pool

mere

2 of 2 adjective
superlative merest
: being only this and nothing else : nothing more than
a mere whisper
a mere child
merely adverb
Etymology

Noun

Old English mere "lake, pool"

Adjective

Middle English mere "nothing more or less than," from Latin merus "pure"

More from Merriam-Webster on mere

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!