| English Dictionary |
MERCURIAL
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Dictionary entry overview: What does Mercurial mean?
• MERCURIAL (adjective)
The adjective MERCURIAL has 4 senses:
1. liable to sudden unpredictable change
2. relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury
3. relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury
4. relating to or containing or caused by mercury
Familiarity information: MERCURIAL used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Liable to sudden unpredictable change
Synonyms:
erratic; fickle; mercurial; quicksilver
Context example:
a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next
Similar:
changeable; changeful (such that alteration is possible; having a marked tendency to change)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Context example:
the Mercurial canals
Pertainym:
Mercury (the smallest planet and the nearest to the sun)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Context example:
more than Mercurial thievishness
Pertainym:
Mercury ((Roman mythology) messenger of Jupiter and god of commerce; counterpart of Greek Hermes)
Derivation:
Mercury ((Roman mythology) messenger of Jupiter and god of commerce; counterpart of Greek Hermes)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Relating to or containing or caused by mercury
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Context example:
mercurial sore mouth
Pertainym:
mercury (a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures)
Derivation:
mercury (a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures)
Context examples
A mercurial compound that is no longer used as a diuretic due to its toxicity.
(Chlormerodrin, NCI Thesaurus)
The sodium salt form of mersalyl acid, a mercurial diuretic.
(Mersalyl, NCI Thesaurus)
A mercurial diuretic.
(Mersalyl Acid, NCI Thesaurus)
They are expressed in the most plain and simple terms, wherein those people are not mercurial enough to discover above one interpretation: and to write a comment upon any law, is a capital crime.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
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