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Mer"cu*rism (?), n. A
communication of news; an announcement. [Obs.] Sir T.
Browne.

Mer*cu"rous (?), a. (Chem.)
Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury;
-- said of those compounds of mercury in which it is present in its
highest proportion.

Mercurous chloride. (Chem.) See
Calomel.

Mer"cu*ry (?), n. [L. Mercurius;
akin to merx wares.] 1. (Rom. Myth.)
A Latin god of commerce and gain; -- treated by the poets as
identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of
souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence.

2. (Chem.) A metallic element mostly
obtained by reduction from cinnabar, one of its ores. It is a heavy,
opaque, glistening liquid (commonly called quicksilver), and
is used in barometers, thermometers, etc. Specific gravity 13.6.
Symbol Hg (Hydrargyrum). Atomic weight 199.8. Mercury has a
molecule which consists of only one atom. It was named by the
alchemists after the god Mercury, and designated by his symbol,
&mercury;.


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