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mercurial

Syllabification: (mer·cu·ri·al)

Pronunciation: /mərˌkyo͝orēəl/

Translate mercurial | into Italian

Definition of mercurial

adjective

1(of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind:his mercurial temperament
(of a person) sprightly; lively.

2of or containing the element mercury.

3 (Mercurial) of the planet Mercury.

noun

(usually mercurials)

a drug or other compound containing mercury.

Derivatives

mercuriality
mercurially

Origin:

late Middle English (sense 3 of the adjective): from Latin mercurialis 'relating to the god Mercury', from Mercurius 'Mercury'. sense 1 of the adjective dates from the mid 17th century