merely
Translation
only, just, simply
Examples
It was merely a suggestion.
It was merely a suggestion.
He is merely a child.
He is merely a child.
Grammar Patterns
((...)) used to emphasize that something is small or unimportant. It was merely a suggestion.
Similar Words
Synonyms: only, just, simply
Etymology
From Latin 'merus' meaning 'pure, unmixed'. The '-ly' suffix forms an adverb.
Memory Tips
Think of it as 'purely' or 'nothing more than'. 'It's merely a scratch' means it is purely and simply a scratch.