mercurial | SAT Word of the Day
Kind of obviously related to Mercury, the swift-footed messenger god who could dart and flit quickly.
I’m guessing I’m older than you, even the teachers among you. I still remember glass thermometers that people would stick in kids’ mouths that used mercury to indicate the temperature. Mercury is a shingy, dense liquid metal (liquid at room temperature) that is also toxic.
ℹ️ Part of speech of mercurial
mercurial is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of mercurial
mercurial is pronounced /mər.ˈkjʊr.i.əl/ or mer-KYUR-ee-ul.
📚️ Definition of mercurial
Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind: a mercurial temperament
Characterized by quick and unpredictable changeability: mercurial weather patterns
📰 Examples
Here are some examples of mercurial in usage:
Despite her mercurial nature in the kitchen, Alicia's culinary experiments always resulted in extraordinary dishes.
The spring weather in Colorado remained mercurial, switching from sunshine to snow within hours.
The creative mind is inherently mercurial, dancing between inspiration and doubt.