Mercurial
[mer-kyoo r-ee-uh l] /mərˈkyʊər i əl/
adjective
1.
changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic:
a mercurial nature.
2.
animated; lively; sprightly; quick-witted.
3.
pertaining to, containing, or caused by the metal .
4.
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the god Mercury.
5.
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the planet Mercury.
noun
6.
Pharmacology. a preparation of used as a drug.
/mɜːˈkjʊərɪəl/
adjective
1.
of, like, containing, or relating to mercury
2.
volatile; lively: a mercurial temperament
3.
(sometimes capital) of, like, or relating to the god or the planet Mercury
noun
4.
(med) any salt of mercury for use as a medicine
adj.
late 14c., “pertaining to the planet Mercury” (see Mercury). Meaning “sprightly, volatile, quick” (1590s) is from supposed qualities of those born under the planet Mercury (they also are the qualities of the god Mercury), probably also partly by association with the qualities of quicksilver. A variant in this sense was mercurious (1590s). Related: Mercurially; mercuriality.
mercurial mer·cu·ri·al (mər-kyur’ē-əl)
adj.
Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury. n.
A pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury.
Read Also:
- Mercurial-barometer
noun 1. .
- Mercurialism
[mer-kyoo r-ee-uh-liz-uh m] /mərˈkyʊər i əˌlɪz əm/ noun, Pathology. 1. poisoning by mercury. /mɜːˈkjʊərɪəˌlɪzəm/ noun 1. poisoning caused by chronic ingestion of mercury mercurialism mer·cu·ri·al·ism (mər-kyur’ē-ə-lĭz’əm) n. See mercury poisoning.
- Mercurialize
[mer-kyoo r-ee-uh-lahyz] /mərˈkyʊər i əˌlaɪz/ verb (used with object), mercurialized, mercurializing. 1. to make , especially in temperament. 2. to treat or impregnate with or one of its compounds. /mɜːˈkjʊərɪəˌlaɪz/ verb (transitive) 1. to make mercurial 2. to treat with mercury or a mercury compound
- Mercuric
[mer-kyoo r-ik] /mərˈkyʊər ɪk/ adjective, Chemistry. 1. of or containing , especially in the bivalent state. /mɜːˈkjʊərɪk/ adjective 1. of or containing mercury in the divalent state; denoting a mercury(II) compound adj. 1828, in chemistry, from mercury + -ic. mercuric mer·cu·ric (mər-kyur’ĭk) adj. Relating to or containing mercury, especially with a valence of 2. mercuric […]
- Mercuric-chloride
noun, Chemistry. 1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble, strongly acrid, highly poisonous solid, HgCl 2 , prepared by sublimation of chlorine with mercury, and used chiefly as an antiseptic. noun 1. a white poisonous soluble crystalline substance used as a pesticide, antiseptic, and preservative for wood. Formula: HgCl2 Systematic name mercury(II) chloride Also called bichloride of […]