mere1
Pronunciation: /mɪə/
adjective
- used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or something is: questions that cannot be answered by mere mortals the city is a mere 20 minutes from some stunning countryside
- used to emphasize that the fact of something being present in a situation is enough to influence that situation: his stomach rebelled at the mere thought of food
Origin:
late Middle English (in the senses 'pure' and 'sheer, downright'): from Latin merus 'undiluted'