mercury

mer·cu·ry | \ ˈmər-kyə-rē

, -k(ə-)rē \

plural mercuries

Definition of mercury

1a capitalized : a Roman god of commerce, eloquence, travel, cunning, and theft who serves as messenger to the other gods — compare hermes

b often capitalized, archaic : a bearer of messages or news or a conductor of travelers

2 [Middle English mercurie, from Medieval Latin mercurius, from Latin, the god]

a : a silver-white poisonous heavy metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures and is used especially in batteries, in dental amalgam, and in scientific instruments

— called also quicksilver

— see Chemical Elements Table

b : the column of mercury in a thermometer or barometer also : temperature the mercury rose above 70 degrees

3 capitalized : the planet nearest the sun — see Planets Table

Examples of mercury in a Sentence

In the summer, the mercury can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Recent Examples on the Web Specifically, the group says the creek has shown signs of elevated concentrations of mercury, and elevated levels of arsenic, molybdenum, selenium, copper and thallium from mining in the area. — William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, "New Alabama mammoth mine project long in the making," 1 Mar. 2020 McDonald claims that Seacole even harmed some troops by treating dysentery with lead and mercury. — Tina Hillier, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Defiance of Florence Nightingale," 20 Feb. 2020 Tuna without the mercury and fish burgers without the fish. — cleveland, "Beyond plant-based meat, General Mills is now investing in plant-based seafood," 16 Jan. 2020 The mercury soared well into the 90s from the nation’s capital to Florida to Texas, and just about everywhere in between. — BostonGlobe.com, "It’s no different elsewhere up and down the Mid-Atlantic. Baltimore had reached 95 by noon, its hottest October day on record.," 3 Oct. 2019 The mercury soared to the mid-90s in Vienna on Wednesday and was expected to be in the 90s again on Thursday. — NBC News, "Suspected gas line explosion in Vienna seriously injures at least two people," 26 June 2019 In Amarillo, the mercury soared into the 90s Thursday, near record levels, with wind gusts to 50 mph. — Jason Samenow, Washington Post, "Wild storm charging across nation to unleash all modes of extreme weather through the weekend," 12 Apr. 2018 Opponents of vaccinations quote a number of scripture verses but, Hughes stressed, often use them to mask beliefs about GMOs or mercury content in vaccines. — Cole Lauterbach, Washington Examiner, "Illinois lawmakers could remove religious exemption for child vaccination," 28 Feb. 2020 Once in the water, fish absorb mercury through their gills and their food. — Ian Randall, Science | AAAS, "The real ‘paleo diet’ may have been full of toxic metals," 14 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mercury.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.