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View synonyms for

mere

1

[ meer ]

adjective

superlative merest.
  1. being nothing more nor better than:

    a mere pittance;

    He is still a mere child.

  2. Obsolete.
    1. pure and unmixed, as wine, a people, or a language.
    2. fully as much as what is specified; completely fulfilled or developed; absolute.


mere

2

[ meer ]

noun

  1. Chiefly British Dialect. a lake or pond.
  2. Obsolete. any body of sea water.

mere

3
or mear

[ meer ]

noun

British Dialect.
  1. a boundary or boundary marker.

è

4

[ mer; English mair ]

noun

French.
plural ès

-mere

5
  1. a combining form meaning “part,” used in the formation of compound words:

    blastomere.

-mere

1

combining form

  1. indicating a part or division

    blastomere

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mere

2

/ ɪə /

adjective

  1. being nothing more than something specified

    she is a mere child

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mere

3

/ ɪə /

noun

  1. archaic.
    a lake or marsh
  2. obsolete.
    the sea or an inlet of it
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mere

4

/ ɪə /

noun

  1. archaic.
    a boundary or boundary marker
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mere

5

/ ˈɛɪ /

noun

  1. a short flat striking weapon
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

–m

  1. A suffix meaning “part” or “segment,” as in blastomere, one of the cells that form a blastula.
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Derived Forms

  • -meric, combining_form:in_adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mere1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mer(e) “pure, clear, unmixed,” from Old French mier, mer, from Latin merus “pure, unmixed, simple, mere”

Origin of mere2

First recorded before 900; Middle English mere, mer, meire, Old English mer, mære “sea, ocean, lake, pond, well, cistern,” cognate with German Meer, Old Norse marr, Gothic marei, Old Irish muir, Latin mare

Origin of mere3

First recorded before 900; Middle English mere, mer, merre, Old English mǣre, ǣ; cognate with Old Norse æ “boundary, border land”; akin to Latin ūܲ “defensive wall, city wall, boundary wall”

Origin of mere4

Combining form representing Greek éDz
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mere1

from Greek meros part, portion

Origin of mere2

C15: from Latin merus pure, unmixed

Origin of mere3

Old English mere sea, lake; related to Old Saxon meri sea, Old Norse marr, Old High German mari; compare Latin mare

Origin of mere4

Old English ǣ

Origin of mere5

ǰ
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Synonym Study

Mere, bare imply a scant sufficiency. They are often interchangeable, but mere frequently means no more than (enough). Bare suggests scarcely as much as (enough). Thus a mere livelihood means enough to live on but no more; a bare livelihood means scarcely enough to live on.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"The RSF's actions transcend mere criminality," he wrote in a piece shared by his organisation.

From

Francis — a pastor, pope, prophet, and friend who “smelled like his sheep” — taught us through example that working for a just distribution of the fruits of the earth and human labor is not mere philanthropy.

From

YouTube has evolved into not a mere tech operation, but a formidable force in television.

From

As the College of Cardinals meets at the Vatican in the coming weeks to elect Francis’ successor, Gomez, a mere archbishop, will stay home.

From

Daniel Farke's men had crushed Stoke City 6-0 in their own game earlier on Monday to leave promotion a mere formality.

From

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merdivorousMeredith