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Synonyms

quicksilver

American  
[kwik-sil-ver] / ˈkwɪkˌsɪl vər /

noun

  1. the metallic element mercury.


verb (used with object)

  1. to amalgamate (metal) with mercury.

quicksilver British  
/ ˈkwɪkˌsɪlvə /

noun

  1. another name for mercury

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. rapid or unpredictable in movement or change

    a quicksilver temper

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • quicksilvery adjective

Etymology

Origin of quicksilver

before 1000; Middle English qwyksilver, Old English cwicseolfor (translation Latin argentum vīvum ) literally, living silver

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.

All would be lost, however, without Mays’ quicksilver brilliance — the way he can shift from savage irony to vindictive rage to godless despair in the space of a line.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

That combination of hard-running forward and quicksilver backs, connecting with superb handling skills, was in evidence again and again.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2025

Music director and conductor Stephen Oremus maintained the production’s high musical standards, bringing out the extensive palette of a rock score with quicksilver moods.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

Dupont, France's quicksilver XV-a-side captain, surprised the rugby world when he swapped the 2024 Six Nations for a shot at seven-a-side Olympic glory.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2024

Their different treads, as if even as spirits they retained their personalities, Patria’s sure and measured step, Minerva’s quicksilver impatience, Mate’s playful little skip.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez