Merely means nothing more than — just, and only that. Merely a suggestion, merely because, he merely nodded.
It plays down whatever follows, either to reassure or to dismiss: it is merely a formality; she was merely doing her job. It is more formal than just and sits before the verb or the phrase it limits. Note not merely, which sets up a stronger clause after it — not merely late but missing altogether — and that mere as an adjective does the same work: a mere child, a mere three pounds.
1adverbmerelyNothing more than; only.
“It is merely a formality and takes two minutes.”
synonyms: simply, just, only
merely is a way of limiting.
Also accepted in games: simply
Latin merus meant pure or unmixed, and was used of undiluted wine. English kept the purity and turned it into limitation: something merely true is true and nothing else added.
Middle English
mereli
English, today
merely
From Middle English mereli, equivalent to mere + ly.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA