argent

[ahr-juh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR argent ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Heraldry. the tincture or metal silver.

Archaic.

silver.
something silvery or white.

Obsolete. money.

adjective

like silver; silvery white.

Heraldry. of the tincture or metal silver: a lion argent.

RELATED WORDS

white, silver, silvery

Nearby words

Origin of argent

1400–50; late Middle English argentum < Latin: silver, money

argent-

variant of argento-, especially before a vowel.

Also argenti-.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for argent

Here there is no colour at all, so the mantling would be gules and argent.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry|Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
At the Dissolution the arms were Gules, two keys in saltire surmounted by a sword in pale, argent.
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Gloucester [2nd ed.]|H. J. L. J. Mass
"Argent, three stags trippant proper" would have a mantling gules and argent.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry|Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
Argent evidently understood his true character, though he treated him with jocular familiarity.
The Ayrshire Legatees|John Galt

Killegrew of Cornwall bore, Argent, an eagle displayed with two heads sable, within a bordure sable bezantee.
The Curiosities of Heraldry|Mark Antony Lower

British Dictionary definitions for argent

argent

noun

an archaic or poetic word for silver
(as adjective; often postpositive, esp in heraldry)a bend argent

Word Origin for argent

C15: from Old French, from Latin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for argent

argent

c.1300, "quicksilver, the metal mercury," from Old French argent (11c.), from Latin argentum "silver, silver work, white money," from PIE *arg-ent- (cf. Avestan erezata-, Old Persian ardata-, Armenian arcat, Old Irish argat, Breton arc'hant "silver"), from root *arg- "to shine; white," thus "the shining or white metal, silver" (cf. Greek argos "white," arguron "silver;" Sanskrit arjuna- "white, shining," rajata- "silver," Hittite harki- "white"). Meaning "silver, silver coin" is early 15c. in English; the adjective sense "silver-colored," late 15c.