# mere mortal

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/mere-mortal
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An ordinary person, without special expertise or status.

## Examples

- I am just a mere mortal, not a professional athlete.
- The famous scientist explained the theory so simply that even a mere mortal like me could understand it.
- While the legendary musician played with effortless grace, the mere mortals in the audience could only watch in silent, humble admiration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.