mer·cu·ri·al (m r-ky r  -l)adj. 1. often Mercurial a. Roman Mythology Of or relating to the god Mercury. b. Astronomy Of or relating to the planet Mercury. 2. Having the characteristics of eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, and thievishness attributed to the god Mercury. 3. Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury. 4. Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile: a mercurial nature. n. A pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury. [Middle English, of the planet Mercury, from Latin mercuri  lis, of the god or planet Mercury, from Mercurius, Mercury.]mer·cu ri·al·ly adv. |
mercurial [mer-cure-ee-al]
Adjective
1. lively and unpredictable: a mercurial and temperamental chess player
2. of or containing mercury [Latin mercurialis]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Adj. | 1. | mercurial - liable to sudden unpredictable change; "erratic behavior"; "fickle weather"; "mercurial twists of temperament"; "a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next" changeful, changeable - such that alteration is possible; having a marked tendency to change; "changeable behavior"; "changeable moods"; "changeable prices" |
| 2. | Mercurial - relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; "the Mercurial canals" | |
| 3. | Mercurial - relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; "more than Mercurial thievishness" | |
| 4. | mercurial - relating to or containing or caused by mercury; "mercurial preparations"; "mercurial sore mouth" |
mercurial
adjective capricious, volatile, unpredictable, erratic, variable, unstable, fickle, temperamental, impulsive, irrepressible, changeable, quicksilver, flighty, inconstant << OPPOSITE consistent
Translations
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