One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
argentine1
adjective
archaicOf or resembling silver.
‘the argentine domes of our main course arrived’- ‘Visible even from a distance, its argentine spires punctured the horizon with needles of light, whilst its great walls reflected the rays of the rising sun.’
noun
A small marine fish with a silvery sheen.
Family Argentinidae: two genera and several species, in particular Argentina silus of the North Atlantic
- ‘A number of the deepwater species on the existing list, ling, argentines and Greenland halibut have been transferred to the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and quotas regulation.’
- ‘The Atlantic argentine (Argentina silus) is found from the Arctic waters of Davis Strait south to Labrador, as well as in other areas of the North Atlantic.’
- ‘They are small fishes, growing up to 25 cm long, excepting the Greater argentine, Argentina silus, which reaches 70 cm.’
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French argentin, argentine, from argent ‘silver’, from Latin argentum.
Pronunciation
Argentine2
adjective
Relating to Argentina or its people.
- ‘The disc is breezy and refreshing, and reveals an utterly new side to the Argentine soul.’
- ‘His version of Argentine history always adopts the silenced viewpoint of the oppressed.’
- ‘Uruguay might also import Argentine grain to fatten steers.’
- ‘He cleverly weaves several themes from the opera together with elements of Argentine folk music.’
- ‘The painter Cabrera was the first to depict Argentine historical subjects.’
noun
1A native or inhabitant of Argentina, or a person of Argentine descent.
- ‘As a fellow Argentine, the director is proud to be associated with Casares, and he pays suitable tribute to his inspiration.’
- ‘Lange was an Argentine, but she came from a Norwegian family.’
- ‘The "rich as an Argentine" sons of fine families introduced the tango to Paris on their grand tours of Europe.’
- ‘He could always get somebody to explain if he had to talk business with an Argentine who did not speak English.’
- ‘A temperamental Plexiglas piece by Argentine Martha Boto was still being tinkered into operation on the day of the opening.’
2the Argentine
another name for Argentina- ‘No one speaks of going to live in the Argentine.’
- ‘Almost everybody from Mexico to the Argentine eats armadillo.’
- ‘It is a fruit of the Argentine which according to Emerson possesses remarkable qualities.’
- ‘He heads back to the Argentine to complete work on a dam.’
- ‘He was born near Buenos Aires, the son of poor American parents of English descent who had moved to the Argentine to farm.’