Medical Dictionary

mercuric oxide

noun

Medical Definition of MERCURIC OXIDE

:  either of two forms of a slightly water-soluble crystalline poisonous compound HgO: a :  a yellow finely divided powder obtained usually by precipitation from solutions of mercuric chloride and sodium hydroxide and used in antiseptic ointments b :  a bright red coarse powder obtained by precipitation from hot solutions or by heating a nitrate of mercury and used similarly to the yellow form

Browse

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears