mercurial

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: mer=cu=ri=al

CIDE DICTIONARY

mercurial, a. [L. mercurialis, fr. Mercurius Mercury: cf. F. mercuriel.].

•  Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament.  [1913 Webster]

  "A mercurial man
  Who fluttered over all things like a fan."  [1913 Webster]
•  Having the form or image of Mercury; -- applied to ancient guideposts.  Chillingworth.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money-making; crafty.  [1913 Webster]

  "The mercurial wand of commerce."  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to, or containing, mercury; as, mercurial preparations, barometer. See Mercury, 2.  [1913 Webster]
•  Caused by the use of mercury; as, mercurial sore mouth.  [1913 Webster]

mercurial, n. 

•  A person having mercurial qualities.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  A preparation containing mercury.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mercurial, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 (of a person) sprightly, ready-witted, volatile.
2 of or containing mercury.
3 (Mercurial) of the planet Mercury.
--n. a drug containing mercury.

Derivative

mercurialism n. mercuriality n. mercurially adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF mercuriel or L mercurialis (as MERCURY)

THESAURUS

mercurial

active, activist, activistic, adrift, adroit, afloat, agile, alive, alternating, ambitendent, ambivalent, amorphous, animated, at loose ends, aureate, bouncing, bouncy, brass, brassy, brazen, breakneck, breezy, brisk, bronze, bronzy, bubbly, buoyant, capricious, changeable, changeful, changing, chipper, choppy, clever, copper, coppery, coquettish, cunning, cupreous, cuprous, dashing, desultory, deviable, deviating, deviative, deviatory, different, disorderly, divaricate, divergent, diversified, diversiform, dizzy, double-minded, double-quick, dubious, eagle-winged, ebullient, eccentric, effervescent, elastic, energetic, erose, erratic, expansive, expeditious, express, faddish, fast, fast and loose, fence-sitting, fence-straddling, ferrous, ferruginous, fickle, fitful, fleet, flickering, flighty, flirtatious, flitting, fluctuating, flying, freakish, frisky, full of go, full of life, full of pep, galloping, giddy, gilt, gold, gold-filled, gold-plated, golden, hair-trigger, hasty, headlong, hustling, impetuous, impulsive, inconsistent, inconstant, indecisive, infirm, infirm of purpose, ingenious, iron, ironlike, irregular, irresolute, irresolved, irresponsible, jagged, jerky, lead, leaden, light, light of heel, light-footed, live, lively, lubricious, mazy, mercurous, militant, mobile, moody, motley, movable, mugwumpian, mugwumpish, mutable, nickel, nickelic, nickeline, nimble, nimble-footed, nonconformist, nonstandard, nonuniform, of two minds, peppy, perky, pert, pewter, pewtery, pluralistic, precipitate, prompt, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, quicksilver, ragged, rambling, rapid, reckless, resilient, restless, rough, roving, running, scatterbrained, shapeless, shifting, shifty, shuffling, silver, silver-plated, silvery, skittish, smacking, snappy, spanking, spasmodic, speedy, spineless, spirited, sporadic, sprightly, spry, steel, steely, swift, temperamental, ticklish, tin, tinny, toying, unaccountable, uncertain, uncontrolled, undecided, undependable, undetermined, undisciplined, unequable, unequal, uneven, unfixed, unorthodox, unpredictable, unreliable, unresolved, unrestrained, unsettled, unstable, unstable as water, unstaid, unsteadfast, unsteady, unsystematic, ununiform, vacillating, vagrant, variable, variegated, variform, various, varying, versatile, vicissitudinary, vicissitudinous, vivacious, volatile, wandering, wanton, wavering, wavery, wavy, wayward, whimsical, winged, wishy-washy, zingy

ROGET THESAURUS

mercurial

Excitability

N excitability, impetuosity, vehemence, boisterousness, turbulence, impatience, intolerance, nonendurance, irritability, itching, wincing, disquiet, disquietude, restlessness, fidgets, fidgetiness, agitation, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry, fuss, flurry, fluster, flutter, pother, stew, ferment, whirl, buck fever, hurry-skurry, thrill, state of excitement, fever of excitement, transport, passion, excitement, flush, heat, fever, heat, fire, flame, fume, blood boiling, tumult, effervescence, ebullition, boiling over, whiff, gust, story, tempest, scene, breaking out, burst, fit, paroxysm, explosion, outbreak, outburst, agony, violence, fierceness, rage, fury, furor, furore, desperation, madness, distraction, raving, delirium, phrensy, frenzy, hysterics, intoxication, tearing passion, raging passion, anger, fascination, infatuation, fanaticism, Quixotism, Quixotry, tete montee, excitable, easily excited, in an excitable state, high-strung, irritable, impatient, intolerant, feverish, febrile, hysterical, delirious, mad, moody, maggoty- headed, unquiet, mercurial, electric, galvanic, hasty, hurried, restless, fidgety, fussy, chafing, startlish, mettlesome, high-mettled, skittish, vehement, demonstrative, violent, wild, furious, fierce, fiery, hot-headed, madcap, overzealous, enthusiastic, impassioned, fanatical, rabid, rampant, clamorous, uproarious, turbulent, tempestuous, tumultuary, boisterous, impulsive, impetuous, passionate, uncontrolled, uncontrollable, ungovernable, irrepressible, stanchless, inextinguishable, burning, simmering, volcanic, ready to burst forth, volatile, excited, exciting, Int, pish!, pshaw!, noli me tangere, filled with fury, rapt, inspir'd, maggiore fretta minore atto.

Motion

N motion, movement, move, going, unrest, stream, flow, flux, run, course, stir, evolution, kinematics, telekinesis, step, rate, pace, tread, stride, gait, port, footfall, cadence, carriage, velocity, angular velocity, clip, progress, locomotion, journey, voyage, transit, restlessness, mobility, movableness, motive power, laws of motion, mobilization, moving, in motion, transitional, motory, motive, shifting, movable, mobile, mercurial, unquiet, restless, nomadic, erratic, under way, on the move, on the wing, on the tramp, on the march, eppur si muove, es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille, sich ein Charakter in dem Strom der Welt.

Velocity

N velocity, speed, celerity, swiftness, rapidity, eagle speed, expedition, pernicity, acceleration, haste, spurt, rush, dash, race, steeple chase, smart rate, lively rate, swift rate, rattling rate, spanking rate, strapping rate, smart pace, lively pace, swift pace, rattling pace, spanking pace, strapping pace, round pace, flying, flight, lightning, greased lightning, light, electricity, wind, cannon ball, rocket, arrow, dart, hydrargyrum, quicksilver, telegraph, express train, torrent, eagle, antelope, courser, race horse, gazelle, greyhound, hare, doe, squirrel, camel bird, chickaree, chipmunk, hackee, ostrich, scorcher, Mercury, Ariel, Camilla, Harlequin, log, log line, speedometer, odometer, tachometer, strobe, radar speed detector, radar trap, air speed gauge, wind sock, wind speed meter, pedometer, fast, speedy, swift, rapid, quick, fleet, aliped, nimble, agile, expeditious, express, active, flying, galloping, light footed, nimble footed, winged, eagle winged, mercurial, electric, telegraphic, light-legged, light of heel, swift as an arrow, quick as lightning, quick as a thought, swiftly, with speed, apace, at a great rate, at full speed, at railway speed, full drive, full gallop, posthaste, in full sail, tantivy, trippingly, instantaneously, under press of sail, under press of canvas, under press of sail and steam, velis et remis, on eagle's wing, in double quick time, with rapid strides, with giant strides, a pas de geant, in seven league boots, whip and spur, ventre a terre, as fast as one's legs will carry one, as fast as one's heels will carry one, as fast as one can lay legs to the ground, at the top of one's speed, by leaps and bounds, with haste, vires acquirit eundo, I'll put a girdle about the earth in forty minutes, swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow, go like a bat out of hell, tempus fugit.