argentine
argentine Lexical Profile
argentine Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Of, relating to, or characteristic of Argentina, its people, or its culture.
"The restaurant specializes in traditional Argentine cuisine and Malbec wines."
Made of, resembling, or having the bright, lustrous color of silver.
"The poet described the moonlight casting an argentine glow across the calm lake."
• noun
A native, citizen, or inhabitant of Argentina, or a person of Argentine descent.
"Many Argentines gather with friends and family on weekends to share mate."
Any of various small, slender, silvery marine fishes of the family Argentinidae (especially the genus Argentina), closely related to smelts and inhabiting deep oceanic waters of the Atlantic and Pacific.
"Commercial trawlers in the North Atlantic occasionally harvest argentines alongside cod and haddock."
Silver, or a silvery metal, pigment, or pearly variety of calcite.
"The antique tray was crafted from argentine and polished to a high sheen."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the people or culture of Argentina, 'Argentine' and 'Argentinian' are used interchangeably, though 'Argentine' is often preferred by the country's own citizens and in formal diplomacy.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from French 'argentin', from Latin 'argentinus' ('of silver'), derived from 'argentum' ('silver'). The South American nation Argentina was likewise named by early Spanish explorers after the Latin word for silver due to rumors of rich silver deposits along the Río de la Plata.