mary
/ˈmɛɹi/
noun
Core
1.n.the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
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mary and merry are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. mary means “the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics”. merry means “full of or showing high-spirited merriment”. mary is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈmɛɹi/
1.n.the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
/ˈmɛɹi/
| mary | merry | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɹi/ | /ˈmɛɹi/ |
| Said | MER-ee | MER-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | adjective |
| Senses | 1 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | Virgin Mary, The Virgin, Blessed Virgin | gay, jocund, jolly |
Full entry for mary · Full entry for merry · More comparisons
“when hearts were young and gay”
2.adj.offering fun and gaiety
“a festive (or festal) occasion”
3.adj.quick and energetic
“a brisk walk in the park”