What does argent mean?
Argent is the heraldic name for the metal silver, one of only two metals permitted in traditional coats of arms, the other being gold (or). Because actual silver leaf tarnished and was costly, artists were historically permitted to depict argent simply as white, and the word consequently came to denote both silver and white in blazoning. Beyond heraldry, argent survives as an adjective describing anything of a silvery-white sheen — moonlit water, pale hair, polished steel — giving writing a refined, slightly antique flavour. The word derives from Latin argentum, the classical name for silver, which also gave us the chemical symbol Ag and the country name Argentina. Though rare in everyday speech, argent remains standard vocabulary for heraldists, genealogists, and anyone describing arms or crests, and its poetic associations make it a favourite among writers seeking an evocative word for luminous paleness.
The heraldic representation of the metal silver, shown in engravings as a plain white surface; one of the two metals in heraldic tinctures.
"The shield was divided per pale, or and argent."
In written blazons argent is treated as a noun naming the tincture itself.
Of a silvery-white colour; lustrous like silver.
"Her argent hair caught the candlelight as she turned."
This adjectival sense is literary and now somewhat rare outside descriptive prose.
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears mainly when referring to multiple instances of the tincture in different coats of arms.
"The manuscript catalogued the argents of several neighboring families' arms."
In medieval heraldry, painting silver on a shield was considered so impractical that artists were officially allowed to substitute plain white — which is why 'argent' can mean either silver or white to this day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of argent
Argent comes from the Latin argentum, meaning silver, which was borrowed into Old French as argent before passing into Middle English in the medieval period alongside the growth of heraldry. The same Latin root underlies the chemical symbol for silver (Ag), the English adjective argentine meaning silvery, and the South American country Argentina, named by Spanish explorers for legends of silver riches. The word has remained remarkably stable in meaning, serving heralds for centuries as the technical designation of the silver or white tincture.
Related word forms
How argent is actually used
Argent is chiefly encountered in heraldic contexts, where it is one of the two 'metals' (alongside or) used to describe tinctures on coats of arms. Its adjectival use for anything silvery-white is literary and somewhat archaic, lending an elevated, poetic tone. In printed armorial descriptions it is conventionally rendered as plain white.
Easily confused with argent
Urgent means demanding immediate attention, whereas argent refers to the colour silver in heraldry; they share only a similar ending.
A sergeant is a non-commissioned military officer, while argent denotes silvery white or the heraldic metal silver.