Mercurial
/mɜrˈkjʊriəl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Mercurial means having sudden and often unpredictable changes in feelings, thoughts, or behavior. It is often used to describe people who can be happy one moment and angry the next, or situations that change quickly and without warning.
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See It in Action
Describing a person’s mood or behavior that changes quickly and unpredictably
- •Her mercurial temperament made it hard to know how she would react.
- •The actor’s mercurial moods affected the whole cast.
- •He was known for his mercurial personality, shifting from joy to anger in minutes.
Describing something that changes quickly and often, like weather or situations
- •The mercurial weather made it difficult to plan outdoor events.
- •The stock market is mercurial and can rise or fall without warning.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "mercurial" like "change," but the change is very fast and hard to guess what will happen next
- ✓Picture quick flashes of lightning in the sky that come and go suddenly, changing the light and mood
- ✓It's the feeling when a friend suddenly laughs and then quickly becomes serious without explanation
- ✓Sounds like "MER-kyur-ee-uhl" → imagine the planet Mercury, which moves very fast around the sun, always changing position quickly
- ✓In stories, a mercurial character might be like the trickster or the unpredictable hero who surprises everyone
- ✓NOT like "calm" (steady and peaceful); mercurial is the opposite, full of sudden ups and downs
- ✓NOT like "stable" (does not change quickly); mercurial means quick and often surprising changes
- ✓NOT like "slow change" (like growing taller); mercurial means fast, sudden changes in mood or behavior
Try Other Words
- •Unpredictable: not able to be guessed before it happens (Use when you want to focus on the surprise element)
- •Volatile: likely to change suddenly, especially in mood or situation (Use when changes are strong and possibly dangerous)
- •Fickle: changing opinions or feelings often and without reason (Use when talking about people’s feelings or loyalties)
- •Temperamental: having moods that change suddenly (Use especially for people or animals with sudden mood shifts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: from "Mercury" (the Roman god and the planet known for speed) + suffix "-ial" (relating to)
- •Etymology: Comes from Latin "Mercurius," the god known for being quick and changeable
- •Historical development: Originally related to the god Mercury’s qualities of speed and change; later used to describe quick mood changes in people
- •Modern usage: Used mainly to describe people’s moods or behavior that change quickly, or situations that are unpredictable and change fast
Reflect & Connect
•How might being mercurial be a strength in some situations and a challenge in others?
•Can you think of a time when a mercurial change surprised you? How did you react?
Fill in the blanks
1.Her mercurial mood ___ the team because no one knew how she would feel next.
2.The weather was mercurial, changing from sunny to rainy ___ within minutes.
3.Unlike calm people, mercurial individuals ___ their feelings very quickly and without warning.
4.When someone is described as mercurial, it often means their behavior is ___ and hard to predict.
5.The stock market’s mercurial nature makes it ___ for investors to plan long-term.
6.A mercurial person might ___ from laughter to anger in a very short time.
7.Because his temper was mercurial, his friends learned to ___ his sudden changes carefully.