1. Nothing but; nothing more nor better than what is mentioned or specified; only: After slipping on the ice, she escaped with a mere scratch.

The mere mention of the monster in the film filled the children with terror.

Mere and "bare" are often used interchangeably, the difference being that "bare" is more often thought of in a positive sense: He "barely" escaped with his life.

Mere tends to be negative, suggesting that something is lacking: He is merely a clerk in the company.

2. Etymology: from Middle English by way of Latin merus, "pure, unmixed".