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Mercurial vs Labile - What's the difference?

mercurial | labile |

As adjectives the difference between mercurial and labile

is that mercurial is (often capitalized, see {{term|Mercurial}}) Pertaining to the planet Mercury while labile is liable to slip, err, fall, or apostatize.

As a noun mercurial

is any of the plants known as mercury.

mercurial

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) Any of the plants known as mercury.
  • (astrology) Someone born under the influence of Mercury.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (often capitalized, see (Mercurial)) Pertaining to the planet Mercury.
  • (often capitalized, see (Mercurial)) Pertaining to the Roman god Mercury, the god of trade; hence, money-making; crafty..
  • * J. Q. Adams
  • the mercurial wand of commerce
  • (astrology) Born under the influence of the planet Mercury, and having such characteristics.
  • Of, or pertaining to the element mercury; containing mercury; caused by the action of mercury or quicksilver.
  • Having a volatile or lively character; quick-witted, changeable, animated.
  • * 1723 , Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury , I:
  • From the natural Mercurial Briskness of her Temper, a sedentary Life had ever been her Aversion [...].

    Derived terms

    * mercurial eczema * mercurial glossitis * mercurial ointment * mercurial phosphorus * mercurial pneumatic trough * mercurial rash * mercurial trough * mercurialisation, mercurialization * mercurialise, mercurialize * mercurialism * mercurialist * mercuriality * mercurially * organomercurial

    labile

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Liable to slip, err, fall, or apostatize.
  • Apt or likely to change.
  • *, II.12:
  • Pythagoras [said] that each thing or matter was ever gliding and labile .
  • (chemistry, of a compound or bond) Kinetically unstable; rapidly cleaved (and possibly reformed).
  • Certain drugs can be conjugated to polymer molecules with a linkage that is labile at low pH to effect controlled release in a cellular endosome.
    Water ligands typically bind metals in a labile fashion and are rapidly interchanged in aqueous solution.

    Derived terms

    * labile verb

    Anagrams

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