Argus

American  

[ahr-guhs] / ˈɑr gəs /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a giant with 100 eyes, set to guard the heifer Io: his eyes were transferred after his death to the peacock's tail.

2. a son of Phrixus and builder of the Argo.

3. (in theOdyssey ) Odysseus' faithful dog, who recognized his master after twenty years and immediately died.

4. any observant or vigilant person; a watchful guardian.

5. (lowercase) Also argus pheasant any of several brilliantly marked Malayan pheasants of the Argusianus or Rheinardia genera.

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argus ¹ British  

/ ˈɑːɡəs /

noun

1. any of various brown butterflies, esp the Scotch argus ( Erebia aethiops ) found on moorland and in forests up to a height of 2000 m

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Argus ² British  

/ ˈɑːɡəs /

noun

1. Greek myth a giant with a hundred eyes who was made guardian of the heifer Io. After he was killed by Hermes his eyes were transferred to the peacock's tail

2. a vigilant person; guardian

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Argus Cultural  

1. A creature in classical mythology who had a hundred eyes. Hera set him to watch over Io, a girl who had been seduced by Zeus and then turned into a cow; with Argus on guard, Zeus could not come to rescue Io, for only some of Argus' eyes would be closed in sleep at any one time. Hermes, working on Zeus' behalf, played music that put all the eyes to sleep and then killed Argus. Hera put his eyes in the tail of the peacock.

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Etymology

Origin of Argus

< Latin < Greek Árgos, derivative of argós bright, shining

Example Sentences

“Europe needs to outbid Asia in order to restock sufficiently for the next winter,” said Natasha Fielding, an analyst at Argus Media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

On Friday, the price difference between Brent and Russia’s Urals blend reached $26.5, a record high, according to commodity analytics company Argus Media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

China saved nearly $9 a barrel on Venezuelan oil delivered in November, compared with what it would have paid for an equivalent heavy crude from Canada, according to commodity-data provider Argus Media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

Argus has reported widespread corrosion at José and the cannibalization of inactive units such as Petrosanfelix for spare parts.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

Argus hardly ever shows up unless something really major is going on.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan