mercury

Definition

A silvery-colored, toxic, metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg.

Etymology

From Middle English mercurie, borrowed from Latin Mercurius. The chemical name comes from the planet Mercury. In medieval alchemy, the seven known metals—quicksilver, gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin—were associated with the seven planets. Quicksilver was associated with the fastest planet, named after the Roman god Mercury, associated with speed and mobility. The astrological symbol for the planet became one of the alchemical symbols for the metal, and Mercury became an alternative name for the metal. Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name survives, as it was decided it was preferable to quicksilver as a chemical name. The chemical symbol Hg came from the Greek hydrargyrus (= liquid silver).

Example Sentences

• "The mercury there has averaged 37.6°C, 2.3°C above the February norm."
• "As the mercury climbed in recent days – hovering at about 42C in both Seville and Córdoba – volunteers in both cities started to assemble around swift colonies, gathering up as many of the dehydrated and undernourished chicks they could find."
• "Rail temperatures are checked at Manchester Piccadilly on July 18 - the first of two consecutive days in which the mercury rose above 38°C across large parts of England."

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