being nothing more nor better than: a mere pittance; He is still a mere child.
2.
Obsolete.
a.
pure and unmixed, as wine, a people, or a language.
b.
fully as much as what is specified; completely fulfilled or developed; absolute.
Origin: 1250–1300; ME < L merus pure, unmixed, mere
Synonyms: 1.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.
[meer] 
