mercurial
Having a lively or volatile characterHaving a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted.
Meaning
6 senses(comparable)Having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted.
his mercurial temperament
sprunghaft, launenhaft, lebhaft
сообрази́тельныйsoobrazítelʹnyj, нахо́дчивыйnaxódčivyj
(not comparable)Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see adjective sense 1).
relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury
(not comparable)Pertaining to the planet Mercury.
relating to or containing or caused by mercury
(not comparable)Of or pertaining to the element mercury or quicksilver; containing mercury.
quecksilberhaltig
рту́тныйrtútnyj
(not comparable)Caused by the action of mercury or a mercury compound.
(Roman, not comparable)Pertaining to Mercury, the Roman god of, among other things, commerce, financial gain, communication, and thieves and trickery; hence (comparable), money-making; crafty.
Near-synonym: Hermesian
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
Noun sense 1 (“(obsolete) plant known as mercury”) is from Middle English mercurial (“a plNoun sense 1 (“(obsolete) plant known as mercury”) is from Middle English mercurial (“a plant, probably the goosefoot (Chenopodium); (possibly) dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis)”), from Anglo-Norman mercurial, Old French mercurial, or directly from their etymon Latin mercuriālis (“a plant, probably annual mercury (Mercurialis annua)”), short for herba mercuriālis (“(probably) annual mercury”, literally “herb or plant of the god Mercury”). Mercuriālis (“pertaining to the Roman god Mercury”, adjective) is derived from Mercurius (“the Roman god Mercury”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns).
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Forms
more mercurial, most mercurial| Comparative | more mercurial Lesson |
|---|---|
| Superlative | most mercurial Lesson |
regular
Synonyms
5 synonyms- liable to sudden unpredictable change:erraticficklequicksilver
Word family
19 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form