hydrargyrum

H4Y4D2R1A1R1G2Y4R1U1M3
/haɪˈdɹɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒɪɹəm/

noun

Mercury (chemical element).

Similar
azothmercuryquicksilverHgatomic number 80
OriginNew Latin hydrargyrum ← Latin hydrargyrus ← Ancient Greek ὑδράργυρος (hudrárguros) →
Scrabble 24
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Meanings

nounhydrargyrum (uncountable)

alternative hydrargyron · alternative hydrargire · alternative hydrargirie · alternative hydrargyre · alternative hydrarg.

  1. uncountablechemistryMercury (chemical element).

    Hydrargyrum, Quick-ſilver, a Mineral, of a ſtrange piercing Quality, ſo as to eat thro' Gold, Silver, &c.

    1706, Edward Phillips, compiler, J[ohn] K[ersey the younger], “Hydrargyrum”, in The New World of Words: Or, Universal English Dictionary. […], 6th edition, London: […] J. Phillips, […]; N. Rhodes, […]; and J. Taylor, […], →OCLC, column 2
    1 more example

    ‘There is a channel in the spine of her blade, and in it runs a river of hydrargyrum—a metal heavier than iron, though it flows like water.’

    1980, Gene Wolfe, chapter XIV, in The Shadow of the Torturer (The Book of the New Sun; 1), New York: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 129

    Synonyms: azoth, mercury, quicksilver

Synonyms & antonyms

nounMercury (chemical element).

Similar
azothmercuryquicksilver

More synonyms by meaning

nouna heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures

Similar
mercuryquicksilverHgatomic number 80
Broader
metallic elementmetal
Also see
mercuryquicksilver

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  4. Ancient Greekῠ̔́δωρ (hŭ́dōr)
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂erǵ-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂érǵ-u-ros or *h₂érǵ-wr̥ ~ h₂r̥ǵ-wén-s
  7. Ancient Greekᾰ̓́ργῠρος (ắrgŭros)
  8. Ancient Greekὑδράργυρος (hudrárguros)
  9. Latinhydrargyrus
  10. New Latinhydrargyrum
  11. Englishhydrargyrum

From New Latin hydrargyrum (“mercury”). By surface analysis, hydr- + argyr- + -um.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Esperanto hidrargo
  • hidrargocognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
French hydrargyre
  • hydrargyrecognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Greek υδράργυρος
  • υδράργυρος (ydrárgyros)cognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Latin hydrargyrum
  • hydrargyrumcognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Portuguese hidrargírio
  • hidrargíriocognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Romanian hidrargir
  • hidrargircognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Russian гидра́ргирум
  • гидра́ргирум (gidrárgirum)cognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Spanish hidrargiro, hidrargirio
  • hidrargirocognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
  • hidrargiriocognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Ukrainian гідра́ргірум, гідра́рґірум
  • гідра́ргірум (hidrárhirum)cognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
  • гідра́рґірум (hidrárgirum)cognate translations of hydrargyrum — otherwise see mercury
Cite this entry
APA

hydrargyrum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrargyrum

MLA

“hydrargyrum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrargyrum. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hydrargyrum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hydrargyrum.

Source: hydrargyrum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.