mercurial
Americanadjective
-
changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic.
a mercurial nature.
- Synonyms:
- indecisive, inconstant
-
animated; lively; sprightly; quick-witted.
- Synonyms:
- spirited
- Antonyms:
- phlegmatic
-
pertaining to, containing, or caused by the metal mercury.
-
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the god Mercury.
-
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the planet Mercury.
noun
adjective
-
of, like, containing, or relating to mercury
-
volatile; lively
a mercurial temperament
-
(sometimes capital) of, like, or relating to the god or the planet Mercury
noun
Other Word Forms
- mercuriality noun
- mercurially adverb
- mercurialness noun
- unmercurial adjective
- unmercurially adverb
- unmercurialness noun
Etymology
Origin of mercurial
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin mercuriālis “of or pertaining to the god or planet Mercury”; mercury, -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As Simon Elliott describes in his biography “The African Emperor,” Severus was a mercurial and contradictory character, capable by turns of savagery, cunning, wit and generosity, and always blessed with a sense of the theatrical.
In recent years, the mercurial superstar has faced a number of public and legal dramas.
From Los Angeles Times
Still, China is treading carefully because one of the biggest calculations for them is the mercurial US president, who is due to arrive for a much-awaited meeting later this month.
From BBC
Mr. McCallum’s sharp alliterations and choice of words transform a book review into a wonderful exploration of a mercurial star.
Capital Group ascended to the No. 1 spot by taking advantage of mercurial markets and seeing long-term bets pay off.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
