Brewer's: Merrie England

may probably mean “illustrious,” from the old Teutonic mer. (Anglo-Saxon, &maera;, famous.) According to R. Ferguson, the word appears in the names Marry, Merry, Merick; the French Méra, Méreau, Merey, Mériq; and numerous others. (Teutonic Name-System, p. 368.) (See below Merry.)

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language