argentine

9.9

A small silver fish that lives deep in the ocean

noun
/ˈɑrdʒəˌtiːn/

: argentina

Examples

Angelica Gorodischer, an Argentine, is the author of Opus Dos.

Fiction book (1994)
The argentine is known for its sleek, silver scales and is often found swimming in deep ocean waters.
Many fishermen consider the argentine a prized catch due to its delicious flavor and unique texture.
In the aquarium, the argentine swims gracefully among the other fish, showcasing its shimmering silver body.

Compounds

Argentine hemorrhagic fever

Specialized

1 9.7

Severe viral illness that causes high fever, bleeding, and brain problems mainly in Argentina

Argentine Republic

Formal

1 2.8

The official name of the country in southern South America

Surface Forms

argentine singular

argentines plural

Morphology

argentine = argent (opaque) = argent + ine

Formally 'argent' + '-ine' means 'silvery', but 'argent' is an uncommon English word and the connection to 'silver' is not obvious to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word argentine comes from the old Latin word argentum meaning 'silver', the same root you see in the country name Argentina. Because these fish have shiny, silver scales, they were named argentine, so the name points to their silvery colour.