Argentina

American  

[ahr-juhn-tee-nuh, ahr-hen-tee-nah] / ˌɑr dʒənˈti nə, ˌɑr hɛnˈti nɑ /

noun

1. a republic in southern South America. 1,084,120 sq. mi. (2,807,870 sq. km). Buenos Aires.

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Argentina British  

/ ˌɑːdʒənˈtiːnə /

noun

1. Also called: the Argentine.  a republic in southern South America: colonized by the Spanish from 1516 onwards; gained independence in 1816 and became a republic in 1852; ruled by military dictatorships for much of the 20th century; civilian rule restored in 1983; consists chiefly of subtropical plains and forests (the Chaco) in the north, temperate plains (the pampas) in the central parts, the Andes in the west, and an infertile plain extending to Tierra del Fuego in the south (Patagonia); an important meat producer. Language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: peso. Capital: Buenos Aires. Pop: 42 610 981 (2013 est). Area: 2 776 653 sq km (1 072 067 sq miles)

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Argentina Cultural  

1. Republic in southern South America, bordered by Chile to the west; Bolivia and Paraguay to the north; and Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Its capital and largest city is Buenos Aires.

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Discover More

Juan Perón came to power in Argentina in 1946, establishing a dictatorship, and ruled with the aid of his second wife, the popular Eva Perón, until he was overthrown in 1955. He was president again from 1973 to 1974, when he died.

Second-largest nation of South America, after Brazil.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Argentina adjective
• pro-Argentina adjective

Etymology

Origin of Argentina

From Spanish, from Italian: literally “made of silver, silver colored” (equivalent to argento “silver” + -ino adjective suffix), shortening of Terra Argentina “Land of Silver,” or Costa Argentina “Coast of Silver”; ultimately a derivative of Latin argentum “silver”; see also -ine ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Now, orange juice came from Costa Rica, Argentina, and, mostly, Brazil.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

The 5-foot-5 striker led Argentina to win the 1986 World Cup, scoring two of the most memorable goals in the tournament’s history against England.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The case has gripped Argentina, with some of his fans holding up signs outside of the Buenos Aires court demanding “Justice for God,” a reference to Maradona’s status as a demigod.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

When the footballer died on 25 November 2020, then President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez declared three days of national mourning.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

And if Hellmuth’s mission succeeded, the Allies would face a stronger and more dangerous partnership between Germany and Argentina.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield