mercury

noun

mer·​cu·​ry ˈmər-kyə-rē How to pronounce mercury (audio)
-k(ə-)rē
plural mercuries
1
a
capitalized : a Roman god of commerce, eloquence, travel, cunning, and theft who serves as messenger to the other gods compare hermes
b
often capitalized archaic : a bearer of messages or news or a conductor of travelers
2
[Middle English mercurie, from Medieval Latin mercurius, from Latin, the god]
a
: a silver-white poisonous heavy metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures and is used especially in batteries, in dental amalgam, and in scientific instruments

called also quicksilver

see Chemical Elements Table
b
: the column of mercury in a thermometer or barometer
also : temperature
the mercury rose above 70 degrees
3
capitalized : the planet nearest the sun see Planets Table

Examples of mercury in a Sentence

In the summer, the mercury can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recent Examples on the Web The longer a fish lives, the more mercury builds up in its system which can lead to heavy metal toxicity, the American Kennel Club reports. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024 The mercury rule, meanwhile, came after a reversal of a move by the Trump administration. Lindsay Whitehurst The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 5 Oct. 2024 On Saturday, the mercury skyrocketed to 97 degrees near downtown Oakland at the Oakland Museum, surpassing the all-time high of 96 from 1987, the National Weather Service reported. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024 The measure also requires plants that use lignite coal to meet the same mercury emissions standards as facilities firing other types of coal. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mercury 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mercury.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin Mercurius, Roman god and the planet

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mercury was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mercury

Cite this Entry

“Mercury.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercury. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

mercury

noun
mer·​cu·​ry ˈmər-kyə-rē How to pronounce mercury (audio)
-k(ə-)rē
1
a
: a heavy silver-white poisonous metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures

called also quicksilver

see element
b
: the column of mercury in a formerly common type of thermometer or barometer
2
capitalized : the planet nearest the sun see planet

Medical Definition

mercury

noun
mer·​cu·​ry ˈmər-kyə-rē, -k(ə-)rē How to pronounce mercury (audio)
plural mercuries
1
: a heavy silver-white poisonous metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures and used especially in scientific instruments
symbol Hg

called also quicksilver

see Chemical Elements Table
2
: a pharmaceutical preparation containing mercury or a compound of it

More from Merriam-Webster on mercury

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