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mercuriel

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Etymology and origin of the French word mercuriel

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1413 Jean de La Fontaine, La Fontaine des amoureux More words from the 15th century
Ultimate origin
Latin Mercurius

Forms

mercuriel (feminine mercurielle, masculine plural mercuriels, feminine plural mercurielles)[1] Middle French mercurial, the earlier form, from 1413.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French mercure (“mercury”), formed after Latin mercuriālis.[2][4][5] It first appeared as mercurial (1413) and was remade in its present form, which the DHLF, Bloch and Wartburg and the Robert date to 1626, and the TLFi, after the FEW, to 1675.[3][5][6][2] Bloch and Wartburg also have the older form in 1625.[5]

The metal's name was borrowed by the alchemists from Mercurius, the messenger of Jupiter, perhaps because of the metal's mobility.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1413 Jean de La Fontaine's La Fontaine des amoureux has mercurial in the sense “containing mercury”.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The adjective followed the changing chemical idea of mercury.[3] In pharmacy and medicine it described ointments and frictions made with mercury: the Académie recorded friction mercurielle in 1798.[2][4] In 1812 Mozin's dictionary added the sense “caused by mercury”, as in salivation mercurielle.[2][4] Littré also records terre mercurielle, the alchemists' name for mercury as the supposed base of metals.[7]

Timeline

  • 1413 – Mercurial “containing mercury” in La Fontaine des amoureux.[2][3]
  • 1626 – The form mercuriel appears.[5][6][3]
  • 1675 – Mercuriel in the Journal des savants, the TLFi's first record of this form.[2][4]
  • 1762 – The Académie dictionary includes it.[2]
  • 1798 – The Académie records friction mercurielle.[2][4]
  • 1812 – Mozin gives the sense “produced by mercury”.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (chemistry, pharmacy) Containing mercury: pommade mercurielle, onguent mercuriel.[8][2][4]
  2. (medicine) Caused by mercury: salivation mercurielle.[4][7]
  3. Of the mercury in an instrument, as the column of a thermometer.[6]

Noun

  1. A medicine containing mercury.[9]
  • mercure
  • mercuriale
  • mercurique
  • mercureux
  • Latin mercuriālis

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Mercuriel.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/mercuriel. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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