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Vicissitude vs Mercurial - What's the difference?

vicissitude | mercurial |

As nouns the difference between vicissitude and mercurial

is that vicissitude is regular change or succession from one thing to another, or one part of a cycle to the next; alternation; mutual succession; interchange while mercurial is any of the plants known as mercury.

As an adjective mercurial is

(often capitalized, see {{term|Mercurial}}) Pertaining to the planet Mercury.

vicissitude

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Regular change or succession from one thing to another, or one part of a cycle to the next; alternation; mutual succession; interchange.
  • (often, in the plural) a change, especially in one's life or fortunes.
  • * 1667 , , Paradise Lost , vii, 351,
    • And God made.. the Stars, and set them in the firmament of Heaven to illuminate the Earth, and rule the day in their vicissitude ...
  • * 2003 , "US redeployments afoot in Asia", Christian Science Monitor , Nov. 18, Pg. 6.,
    • The vicissitudes of war in Iraq cast a dreary backdrop for Donald Rumsfeld's first visit to Asian military allies since he became US Defense Secretary in 2001.
  • * Seneca
    • Happy is the man who can endure the highest and lowest fortune. He who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity has deprived misfortune of its power.

    Synonyms

    * ups and downs (informal)

    External links

    * * * ----

    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

    Related terms

    * mercuric, mercury, Mercury