mercurial

== English == === Alternative forms === ☿ial, ☿all (both alchemy abbreviation) === Etymology === Noun sense 1 (“(obsolete) plant known as mercury”) is from Middle English mercurial (“a plant, probably the goosefoot (Chenopodium); (possibly) dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis)”), from Anglo-Norman mercurial, Old French mercurial, or directly from their etymon Latin mercuriālis (“a plant, probably annual mercury (Mercurialis annua)”), short for herba mercuriālis (“(probably) annual mercury”, literally “herb or plant of the god Mercury”). Mercuriālis (“pertaining to the Roman god Mercury”, adjective) is derived from Mercurius (“the Roman god Mercury”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns). Later adjective and noun uses may have been directly derived from Latin mercuriālis (adjective), whence Middle English mercurial (“under the astrological influence of the planet Mercury”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /məːˈkjʊə.ɹɪ.əl/ (General American) IPA(key): /mɝˈkjʊ.ɹi.əl/, /-ˈkjɔ-/ Hyphenation: mer‧cu‧ri‧al === Noun === mercurial (plural mercurials) (obsolete) Any of the plants known as mercury, especially the annual mercury or French mercury (Mercurialis annua). [13th–17th c.] (astrology) A person born under the influence of the planet Mercury; hence, a person having an eloquent, quickwitted, furtive, or volatile character. [from 16th c.] (chemistry) A chemical compound containing mercury. (pharmacology, historical) A preparation of mercury, especially as a treatment for syphilis. [from 17th c.] ==== Alternative forms ==== mercuriall (obsolete) ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === mercurial (comparative more mercurial, superlative most mercurial) (comparable) Having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted. [from 17th c.] Synonyms: fickle, unpredictable (not comparable, astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see adjective sense 1). [from 16th c.] (not comparable, astronomy) Pertaining to the planet Mercury. [from 16th c., from 14th c. Middle English] (not comparable, chemistry) Of or pertaining to the element mercury or quicksilver; containing mercury. [from 16th c.] (not comparable, medicine) Caused by the action of mercury or a mercury compound. (not comparable, Roman mythology) Pertaining to Mercury, the Roman god of, among other things, commerce, financial gain, communication, and thieves and trickery; hence (comparable), money-making; crafty. [from 15th c.] Near-synonym: Hermesian ==== Alternative forms ==== mercuriall (obsolete) (pertaining to the Roman god Mercury or planet Mercury): Mercurial ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === Notes === === References === === Further reading === Mercurialis (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia mercury (element) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Mercury (mythology) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Mercury (planet) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == Catalan == === Etymology === From Latin mercuriālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [mər.ku.ɾiˈal] IPA(key): (Valencia) [meɾ.ku.ɾiˈal] IPA(key): (Northwestern) [mer.ku.ɾiˈal] === Adjective === mercurial m or f (masculine and feminine plural mercurials) mercurial (most senses) ==== Synonyms ==== (containing mercury): mercúric ==== Derived terms ==== mercurialisme === Noun === mercurial f (plural mercurials) mercury (spurge of the genus Mercurialis) Synonym: melcoratge === Related terms === mercuri Mercuri === Further reading === “mercurial”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 == Interlingua == === Adjective === mercurial (not comparable) mercurial, pertaining to mercury (metal) == Middle English == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin mercuriālis, Mercuriālis (“pertaining to the Roman god Mercury”). === Noun === mercurial (uncountable) (botany) A plant belonging to the genus Chenopodium; a goosefoot. Synonym: mercurie ==== Alternative forms ==== mercuriale === Adjective === mercurial (astrology, astronomy) mercurial; pertaining to or under the influence of the planet Mercury ==== Alternative forms ==== Mercurial, Mercuriall ==== Descendants ==== English: mercurial === References === “mercuriāl, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 5 May 2019. “Mercuriāl, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 5 May 2019. == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French mercuriel, from Latin mercurialis. === Adjective === mercurial m or n (feminine singular mercurială, masculine plural mercuriali, feminine/neuter plural mercuriale) mercurial ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /meɾkuˈɾjal/ [meɾ.kuˈɾjal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: mer‧cu‧rial === Adjective === mercurial m or f (masculine and feminine plural mercuriales) mercurial ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “mercurial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025