Word meaning
mercurial
adjective · mur-KYOOR-ee-ul
What does mercurial mean?
Mercurial means subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood.
Mercurial in a sentence
“The mercurial director could be charming one minute and furious the next.”
Synonyms for mercurial
- volatile
- unpredictable
- temperamental
Where does mercurial come from?
From Mercury, the Roman messenger god, and the planet named for him.
How to remember mercurial
- Say it out loud a few times: mur-KYOOR-ee-ul.
- Write one sentence of your own using mercurial, about something that happened to you today.
- Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.
More words worth knowing
- benevolent — well-meaning and kindly; generous toward others.
- obdurate — stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.
- elusive — difficult to find, catch, or achieve.
- convivial — friendly, lively, and enjoyable.
- abate — to become less intense or widespread.
- parochial — having a limited or narrow outlook.