argentian

Argentian is an infrequently used adjective and demonym. In modern English it is not the standard form for referring to Argentina or its people; Argentine or Argentinian are preferred. Argentian may appear as a historical variant or a misspelling in some texts.

Origin and usage: The root argent- comes from Latin argentum, meaning silver. The country name Argentina derives from the same root via Latin Argentina, meaning “land of silver,” and from the Spanish designation Argentina. The suffix -ian is a common demonymal ending, so argentian would be parsed as “of or relating to argent” or “a person from Argentina,” but there is no widely accepted form Argent- to anchor this usage, and the term has not gained standard acceptance.

Distinctions: In heraldry, argent is the tincture for white or silver; argentiferous means bearing silver. Argentian, if encountered, is distinct from argent and from Argentina/Argentine, and should be used with caution to avoid confusion.

See also: Argentina; Argentine; Argentinian; Argentiferous; Heraldry.