Mercurial definition

mər-kyo͝orē-əl
Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury.
adjective
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1
Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile.

A mercurial nature.

adjective
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Of Mercury (the god or planet)
adjective
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The definition of mercurial is changeable or fickle.

Someone who can get mad in the blink of an eye is an example of someone who would be described as mercurial.

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(roman mythology) Of or relating to the god Mercury.
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(astronomy) Of or relating to the planet Mercury.
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Of or containing mercury.
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Caused by the action or use of mercury.
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Having qualities attributed to the god Mercury or supposedly influenced by the planet Mercury; eloquent, clever, shrewd, thievish, etc.
adjective
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A drug or preparation containing mercury.
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Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury.
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A pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury.
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(astrology) Someone born under the influence of Mercury. [from 16th c.]
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(now historical) A preparation of mercury, especially as a treatment for syphilis. [from 17th c.]
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(often capitalized, see Mercurial) Pertaining to the planet Mercury. [from 14th c.]
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(often capitalized, see Mercurial) Pertaining to the Roman god Mercury. [from 15th c.]
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(astrology) Born under the influence of the planet Mercury, and having such characteristics. [from 16th c.]
adjective
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Having a volatile or lively character; quick-witted, changeable, animated. [from 17th c.]
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Of or relating to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money-making; crafty.
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Having the characteristics of eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, and thievishness attributed to the god Mercury.
adjective
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3
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A pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury.
noun
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2
Having qualities suggestive of mercury; quick, quick-witted, volatile, changeable, fickle, etc.
adjective
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Of, or pertaining to the element mercury; containing mercury; caused by the action of mercury or quicksilver. [from 16th c.]
adjective
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1

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
mercurial
Plural:
mercurials

Origin of mercurial

  • Middle English of the planet Mercury from Latin mercuriālis of the god or planet Mercury from Mercurius Mercury

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Anglo-Norman / Old French mercurial, and their source, Latin mercurialis, from Mercurius (“Mercury").

    From Wiktionary

Mercurial Sentence Examples

  • Even this did not tame the impostors mercurial temperament.

  • The disciplined philosopher, who had devoted himself to the task of comprehending the organism of the state, had no patience with feebler or more mercurial minds who recklessly laid hands on established ordinances, and set them aside where they contravened humanitarian sentiments.

  • They can be very mercurial, one minute docile the next skittish.

  • Apart from the effects of varying precipitation and evaporation the atmosphere affects sea-level also by its varying pressure, the difference in level of the sea-surface from this cause between two given points being thirteen times as great as the difference between the corresponding readings of the mercurial barometer.

  • It's music that bypasses the brain entirely, beguiling the soul with its ceaselessly inventive mercurial forms conjured literally out of the air.

More sentences

Related articles

Words near mercurial in the Dictionary