Origin and history of *arg-

early 15c., "silver, silver coin," from Old French argent "silver, silver money; quicksilver" (11c.), from Latin argentum "silver, silver work, silver money," from PIE *arg-ent-, suffixed form of root *arg- "to shine; white," thus "silver" as "the shining or white metal." It was earlier in English in the sense of "quicksilver, the metal mercury" (c. 1300); the adjective sense "silver-colored" is from late 15c.

South American nation, from Latin argentinus "of silver," from PIE root *arg- "to shine; white," hence "silver" as the shining or white metal. It is a Latinized form of (Rio) de la Plata "Silver River," from Spanish plata "silver" (see plate (n.)).