mercury

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mercury bichloride of mercury manaca root mercuric chloride mercury bichloride mercury chloride mercury-vapor lamp mild mercurous chloride vegetable mercury

Main Entry: mer·cu·ry
Pronunciation: mr-ky-r, -k(-)r
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ries
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 ELEMENT table
2 : a pharmaceutical preparation containing mercury or a compound of it
Mercury, Roman mythological character. In Roman mythology Mercury became identified with the Greek god Hermes. This god was known especially as the fleet-footed messenger of the gods. He was also the god of science and the arts and the patron of travelers and athletes. He is typically represented in art as a young man wearing a winged helmet and winged sandals and bearing a caduceus. The metal mercury was named after him most probably because he symbolizes mobility.