mercurio

mercury

noun mehr-KOO-ryoh Rare

Origin: from Latin Mercurius, the Roman messenger god

Usage Note

Mercurio names both the chemical element (symbol Hg, the only metal liquid at room temperature) and the planet Mercury. In informal speech, mercurio in a thermometer is widely understood even though modern thermometers no longer use it. The phrase termómetro de mercurio is still the default reference.

Examples

"El termómetro contiene mercurio líquido."

Natural Translation

The thermometer contains liquid mercury.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Spanish Past Tense Made Easy

Preterite vs. imperfect: use the preterite for finished events, the imperfect for ongoing scenery. A trigger-word cheat sheet, flowchart, and examples.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Filler Words: 15 Ways to Sound Natural

Spanish filler words like pues, o sea, and vale make you sound natural, not robotic. Learn 15 muletillas sorted by job, by region, and when not to use them.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Respond to ¿Cómo Estás? (Not Just Bien)

Respond to ¿cómo estás? like a native: add gracias, bounce back ¿y tú?, and pick a reply by mood — bien, no me quejo, más o menos, or ahí voy.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

El or La? Spanish Noun Gender Rules Made Simple

El or la? Spanish noun gender is ~99% readable off the word's ending. Learn the o/a defaults, LONERS, feminine endings, and the handful of rebels to memorize.

June 3, 2026 7 min read