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July 15, 2018

Word of the Day: Mercurial

2 CQ

Word of the Day : July 15, 2018

mercurial \mer-KYUR-ee-ul\ adjective

Definition

1 : of, relating to, or born under the planet Mercury

2 : having the qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury or to the influence of the planet Mercury

3 : characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood

4 : of, relating to, containing, or caused by mercury

Did You Know?

The Roman god Mercury (Mercurius in Latin) was the messenger and herald of the gods and also the god of merchants and thieves (his counterpart in Greek mythology is Hermes). He was noted for his eloquence, swiftness, and cunning, and the Romans named what appeared to them to be the fastest-moving planet in his honor. The Latin adjective derived from his name, mercurialis, meaning "of or relating to Mercury," was borrowed into English in the 14th century as mercurial. Although the adjective initially meant "born under the planet Mercury," it came to mean "having qualities attributed to the god Mercury or the influence of the planet Mercury," and then "unpredictably changeable."

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Aired July 15, 2018

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