mercurial

Meanings

• adjective

  Of or relating to the planet Mercury or to the Roman god Mercury.

  - "The mercurial planet is the smallest and closest planet to the Sun."
  - "The god Mercurial was considered the messenger of the gods."

• adjective

  Characterized by or exhibiting great volatility, changeability, or agility.

  - "His mercurial moods made it difficult to predict his behavior."
  - "The stock market can be quite mercurial, with prices fluctuating wildly."

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Pronunciation

1. /məːˈkjʊə.ɹɪ.əl/
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82433574"

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Synonyms

fickle , unpredictable

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with mercurial
urinal , vernal , fernal

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Variants

List of all variants of mercurial that leads to same result
mercurial , mercurially , mercurialness , mercurialnesses , mercurials

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From the Latin word 'mercurius', named after the Roman god Mercury.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. Mercury is the only planet in the solar system that has a retrograde rotation, meaning it rotates in the opposite direction of most other planets.

2. The Roman god Mercury was often depicted as having wings on his feet, allowing him to move quickly and easily.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. volatility: A measure of how much the price of a financial instrument or commodity fluctuates over time.

2. agility: The ability to move quickly and easily.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. Still grinning, still miming, he samba-ed across the floor … and started in on the dishes with a vigor that would have prostrated his "mercurial" cousin.

   - T. Coraghessan Boyle,{it}Harper's{/it},October 1987

2. Some scientists suggest that because manic-depressive patients are ever riding the bio-chemical express between emotional extremes, their brains end up more complexly wired and remain more persistently plastic than do the brains of less "mercurial" sorts.

   - Natalie Angier,{it}New York Times{/it},12 Oct. 1993

3. Though you could see all three places in one day, each of them makes you want to stay or to keep returning to watch the effects of the changing weather and the "mercurial" Sicilian light.

   - Francine Prose,{it}Atlantic{/it},December 2002

4. Few moments in English history have been more hungry for the future, its "mercurial" possibilities and its hope of richness, than the spring of 1603.

   - Adam Nicolson,{it}God's Secretaries{/it},2003

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Mercurial has been used in various forms of literature, art, and music to describe the god Mercury or the planet Mercury. In alchemy, mercury was considered a symbol for quicksilver, representing the volatile and elusive nature of the element.

How to Memorize "mercurial"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a small, silver planet orbiting the Sun, or picture the Roman god Mercury with his wings and caduceus staff.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word with the Roman god Mercury, or remember that it is related to the planet Mercury.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic using the first letter of each definition: 'M - Mercury or god, C - Characterized by volatility'.

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