- hydrargyrum (n.)
- "mercury, quicksilver," 1560s, from Latin hydrargyrus, from Greek hydrargyros "quicksilver" (as prepared artificially from cinnabar ore; native quicksilver was argyros khytos "fused silver"), from hydr-, stem of hydor "water" (see water (n.1)) + argyros "silver" (see argent). Hence the chemical abbreviation Hg for the element mercury.
