mercury

Where does the word "mercury" come from? It comes from Latin Mercurius, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Mercury’s story begins in Latin: Mercurius meant “the Roman god of commerce and speed.” The swift messenger god, associated with the fast-moving liquid metal and the fast-orbiting planet. It reached English by 1300s as mercury. Settled as the English word for the liquid silvery metal. Today, mercury means a heavy, silvery liquid metallic element, also called quicksilver.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient Mercurius "the Roman god of commerce and speed", the swift messenger god, associated with the fast-moving liquid metal and the fast-orbiting planet.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s mercury "the liquid silvery metallic element", settled as the English word for the liquid silvery metal.