Coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world, next to crude oil. It’s also one of the oldest commodities, with over 2.25 billion cups of coffee consumed worldwide daily.
MERCURIAL
erratic, fickle, mercurial, quicksilver
(adjective) liable to sudden unpredictable change; “erratic behavior”; “fickle weather”; “mercurial twists of temperament”; “a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next”
mercurial
(adjective) relating to or containing or caused by mercury; “mercurial preparations”; “mercurial sore mouth”
Mercurial
(adjective) relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; “more than Mercurial thievishness”
Mercurial
(adjective) relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; “the Mercurial canals”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
mercurial (plural mercurials)
(obsolete) Any of the plants known as mercury, especially the annual mercury or French mercury (Mercurialis annua). [13th–17th c.]
(astrology) A person born under the influence of the planet Mercury; hence, a person having an animated, lively, quick-witted or volatile character. [from 16th c.]
(chemistry) A chemical compound containing mercury.
(pharmacology, historical) A preparation of mercury, especially as a treatment for syphilis. [from 17th c.]
Adjective
mercurial (comparative more mercurial, superlative most mercurial)
(comparable) Having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted. [from 17th c.]
Synonyms: fickle, unpredictable
(not comparable, astrology) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see adjective sense 1). [from 16th c.]
(not comparable, astronomy) Pertaining to the planet Mercury. [from 14th c.]
(not comparable, chemistry) Of or pertaining to the element mercury or quicksilver; containing mercury. [from 16th c.]
(not comparable, medicine) Caused by the action of mercury or a mercury compound.
(not comparable, Roman mythology) Pertaining to Mercury, the Roman god of, among other things, commerce, financial gain, communication, and thieves and trickery; hence (comparable), money-making; crafty. [from 15th c.]
Notes
Source: Wiktionary
Mer*cu"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. mercurialis, fr. Mercurius Mercury: cf. F. mercuriel.]
1. Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament. A mercurial man Who fluttered over all things like a fan. Byron.
2. Having the form or image of Mercury; -- applied to ancient guideposts. [Obs.] Chillingworth.
3. Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money- making; crafty. The mercurial wand of commerce. J. Q. Adams.
4. Of or pertaining to, or containing, mercury; as, mercurial preparations, barometer. See Mercury, 2.
5. (Med.)
Definition: Caused by the use of mercury; as, mercurial sore mouth.
Mer*cu"ri*al, n.
1. A person having mercurial qualities. Bacon.
2. (Med.)
Definition: A preparation containing mercury.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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18 May 2024
SUNLIT
(adjective) lighted by sunlight; “the sunlit slopes of the canyon”; “violet valleys and the sunstruck ridges”- Wallace Stegner
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