argent

noun

ar·​gent ˈär-jənt How to pronounce argent (audio)
1
archaic : the metal silver
also : whiteness
2
: the heraldic color silver or white
argent adjective

Examples of argent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But argent also means silver in French — a fitting name for a company that exists to help women succeed in the business world. —Kiki Georgiou, The Cut, 18 Dec. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin argentum "silver, money," going back to Indo-European *h2 r̥ǵ-n̥t-o- (whence also Old Irish argat "silver," Middle Welsh aryant "silver, money," Breton arcʼhant, Sanskrit rajatáḥ "shining white, silvery" [for *ṛjatáḥ], Avestan ərəzata "silver," Armenian arcatʻ), derivative of *h2erǵ-, *h2r̥ǵ- "bright, white" whence, with varying suffixation, Greek árgyros "silver," Tocharian B ārkwi "white," Sanskrit árjunaḥ "shining, white," Hittite ḫarki- "white, bright"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of argent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near argent

argemone oil

argent

argenta dei

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Argent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/argent. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

argent

adjective
ar·​gent ˈär-jənt How to pronounce argent (audio)
: resembling silver : silvery, white

More from Merriam-Webster on argent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about argent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...