mercurial
|mer-cu-ri-al|
🇺🇸
/mərˈkjʊriəl/
🇬🇧
/mɜːˈkjʊəriəl/
unpredictably changeable
Etymology
'mercurial' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'Mercuriālis', where 'Mercuri-' referred to the god 'Mercurius' (Mercury) and the suffix '-alis' meant 'pertaining to'.
'mercurial' changed from Medieval Latin 'mercurialis' into Old French and Middle English forms and eventually became the modern English word 'mercurial'.
Initially it meant 'pertaining to Mercury (the god), the planet, or the element', but over time it evolved to include the figurative sense of 'changeable' or 'volatile' in temperament or behavior.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who is subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or behavior (a temperamental person).
He's a mercurial — one day warm and friendly, the next distant.
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Adjective 1
subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind; volatile or capricious.
Her mercurial temperament made it hard to predict her reactions.
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Adjective 2
lively, quick, and changeable in intellect or expression; quick-witted or animated.
He was admired for his mercurial wit.
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Adjective 3
relating to, containing, or caused by the chemical element mercury.
A mercurial compound was used in the experiment.
Last updated: 2025/08/28 01:33