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Definition of mercurial
1 : of, relating to, or born under the planet Mercury
2 : having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury or to the influence of the planet Mercury
3 : characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood a mercurial temper
4 : of, relating to, containing, or caused by mercury
mercurialness
nounFrom the M-W Editors
mercurial was our Word of the Day on 09/16/2012. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of mercurial in a Sentence
Few moments in English history have been more hungry for the future, its mercurial possibilities and its hope of richness, than the spring of 1603. —Adam Nicolson, God's Secretaries, 2003
Though you could see all three places in one day, each of them makes you want to stay or to keep returning to watch the effects of the changing weather and the mercurial Sicilian light. —Francine Prose, Atlantic, December 2002
Some scientists suggest that because manic-depressive patients are ever riding the bio-chemical express between emotional extremes, their brains end up more complexly wired and remain more persistently plastic than do the brains of less mercurial sorts. —Natalie Angier, New York Times, 12 Oct. 1993
Still grinning, still miming, he samba-ed across the floor … and started in on the dishes with a vigor that would have prostrated his mercurial cousin. —T. Coraghessan Boyle, Harper's, October 1987
the boss's mood is so mercurial that we never know how he's going to react to anything
Recent Examples of mercurial from the Web
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There’s much pleasure to be had from the character actors who play the couple’s parents: Holly Hunter (who threatens to steal the film as Emily’s mercurial mom), Ray Romano, Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff.
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David Sims considers the future of the HBO show after the mercurial comedian departed under mysterious circumstances.
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A mercurial owner, the Nordiques’ Marcel Aubut, striking separate trade agreements with the Flyers and New York Rangers?
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Camilla is cast as Prince Charles’s savior from his mercurial wife.
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Camilla is cast as Prince Charles’s savior from his mercurial wife.
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Instead, the mercurial Jackson, chose to take an 18-year-old mostly unknown to a U.S. audience.
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Slightly odd, mercurial figures, shunning media attention whenever possible but doing whatever was necessary to make a great nucleus that much greater.
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Trump’s announcement is renewing questions about the level of Tillerson’s influence on his boss’ mercurial foreign policy decision-making.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mercurial'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
The Roman god Mercury ("Mercurius" in Latin) was the messenger and herald of the gods and also the god of merchants and thieves. (His counterpart in Greek mythology is Hermes.) He was noted for his eloquence, swiftness, and cunning, and the Romans named what appeared to them to be the fastest-moving planet in his honor. The Latin adjective derived from his name, mercurialis, meaning "of or relating to Mercury," was borrowed into English in the 14th century as "mercurial." Although the adjective initially meant "born under the planet Mercury," it came to mean also "having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury or the influence of the planet Mercury," and then "unpredictably changeable."
Origin and Etymology of mercurial
see mercury
Synonym Discussion of mercurial
Definition of mercurial
: a pharmaceutical or chemical containing mercury
Origin and Etymology of mercurial
see mercury
MERCURIAL Defined for English Language Learners
mercurial
playDefinition of mercurial for English Language Learners
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: changing moods quickly and often
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: changing often : very changeable
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: very lively and quick
Medical Dictionary
mercurial
Medical Definition of mercurial
: a pharmaceutical or chemical containing mercury the diuretic action of mercurials
Learn More about mercurial
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See words that rhyme with mercurial Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mercurial Spanish Central: Translation of mercurial Nglish: Translation of mercurial for Spanish speakers
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