What does argentine mean?
Argentine is a literary adjective meaning silvery — describing something that has the color, luster, or gleam of silver. It derives from the Latin argentum, the word for silver, which also gives us the element's symbol (Ag) and, via Spanish, the name of the nation Argentina. In use since at least the early modern period, 'argentine' appears most often in poetry and elevated prose to evoke moonlight, frost, water, or fabric that shimmers with a pale metallic radiance. A sentence such as 'the lake lay argentine beneath the rising moon' captures its typical register: refined, visual, and slightly old-fashioned. Though rare in everyday speech today, it remains a precise and evocative alternative to plain 'silvery'. Writers should note that it is entirely distinct from the capitalized 'Argentine' relating to Argentina, despite sharing an etymological ancestor.
Silvery; having the color or luster of silver.
"An argentine frost coated every branch by morning."
Chiefly literary; more common in older poetry than contemporary prose.
Any of various small silvery fishes of the family Argentinidae; also, an old name for silver itself.
"The trawl brought up a net full of tiny argentine from the deep water."
The zoological sense is technical and rarely encountered outside ichthyology.
Applies only to the noun sense referring to the fish; the adjective does not pluralize as a standalone form.
"Schools of argentine feed near the surface at night."
The same Latin root that names a whole South American country — argentum, silver — also gives English this little-known poetic word for anything that glimmers like moonlight.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of argentine
Argentine comes from the Latin argentum, meaning silver, passed into English through Old French 'argentin'. The same Latin root underlies the English word 'argent' (silver in heraldry) and, through Spanish plata and the Río de la Plata ('River of Silver'), the name of the country Argentina. The adjective entered English as a poetic term for silver-like brightness and has retained that literary flavor ever since.
How argentine is actually used
A literary and somewhat archaic word, most often found in poetry and descriptive prose of the 18th and 19th centuries. It should not be confused with the capitalized 'Argentine', which refers to Argentina.
Easily confused with argentine
'Argentinian' (or 'Argentine' capitalized) refers to the country Argentina or its people, while lowercase 'argentine' is an unrelated poetic word meaning silvery.