Quick Definition
ἄργυρος, ου, ὁ n.m. silver as a metal
Strong's Definition
from argos (shining); silver (the metal, in the articles or coin)
KJV Usage: silver
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ου | ἀργύριον · ἀργυροκόπος · ἀργυροῦς · ἀφιλάργυρος · φιλαργυρία · φιλάργυρος
2.51 · Natural Substances · Metals
silver the metal silver; after gold the next most highly valued metal in the ancient world As in the case of ‘gold’ (2.49), there is usually no difficulty involved in obtaining a satisfactory term for ‘silver’ in most languages. In 1PE 1:18, however, there is a problem in speaking of silver and gold that ‘perish,’ or even as something that can be ‘destroyed,’ since in reality one does not destroy such elements, and silver and gold do not really ‘perish.’ On the other hand, silver and gold can become oxidized and lose their value, especially if they are impure (see 2.60). Therefore, it seems far better to emphasize the lack of value in translating 1PE 1:18. A suitable rendering may then be ‘not with things that can lose their value as silver and gold.’
6.73 · Artifacts · Money and Monetary Units
silver money, silver coin silver in the form of stamped coins used as money
1 Except for the occurrence of ἀργύριον in the plural (MAT 26:15), it would be possible to derive all of these references to copper (bronze), silver, and gold coins as direct and predictable metonymic correspondences of the respective terms for substances (see 2.54, 51, 49). Since, however, some languages employ clear distinctions between metals as substances and metals when manufactured into the form of coins, the present classification would seem to be more useful.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἄργυρος, -ov, 6, (ἀργός shining), [fr. Hom. down], silver : 1 Co. iii. 12 [T Tr WH ἀργύριον (reference is made to the silver with which the columns of noble buildings were covered and the rafters adorned); by meton. things made of silver, silver-work, vessels, images of the gods, etc.: Acts xvii. 29; Jas. v. 3; Rev. xviii. 12. silver coin: Mt. x. 9.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἄργυρος argyros 5x
silver; meton. anything made of silver; money, Jas. 5:3
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἄργυρος, -ου, ὁ
(< ἀργός, shining), [in LXX for כֶּסֶף;]
silver (on its relation to ἀργύριον, v. MM, s.v.): Mt 10:9, Ac 17:29, Ja 5:5, Re 18:12.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἄργυρος. The distinction between ἄργυρος “5. ver” and ἀργύριον “< silver used as money,” which in classical Greek has exceptions on both sides, is generally observed in NT: ἀργύριον in 1 Cor 3!2 and ἄργυρος in Mt τοῦ are the only clear exceptions. In the papyri ἄργυρος is as rare as ἀργύριον is ubiquitous. It figures frequently in P Leid X, a very long document dealing with metallurgical subjects (ili/iv A.D.). P Par 60 δὲ:33 (c. B.C. 200) has ἀργύρου στατήρων, and BGU IIT. g92it 52° (B.c. 160) χαλκοῦ πρὸς ἄργυρον, but in P Lips I. 6427 (iv/a.p.) &(py)vpov (curiously abbreviated) is “Geld”. Silverasa metal is thus the prevailing sense in the few occurrences we can report from papyri, while ἀργύριον for money appears many hundred times. The differentiation affects a well-known compound in C. and δ. no. 300" (ii. p. 466—Apamea) ἀργυριοταμιεύσαντα for dpyvpot. There are sundry derivatives of ἄργυρος, of which we might mention ἀργυρώνητος, occurring in P Said Khan 178 (B.c. 88) τὴν a. ἄμπελον, P Lond 1984 (A.D. 169-77) (= II. p. 173), BGU ΙΝ. 1105 (8.6. 11) καθυβράει Kal τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιφέρων χρῆται ὡς οὐδὲ ἀργυρῳνήτωι “treats me as he would not treat a thing he had bought ”—the reading is not certain. « > Αρεοπαγίτης 7 In the LXX the disparity between the frequency of ἄργυρος and ἀργύριον is just what it is in papyri. In MGr ἄργυρος is the metal.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἄργυρος (arguros) — silver. ἄργῠρος, ὁ, (ἀργός A) white metal, i.e. silver, ἐξ Ἀλύβης ὅθεν ἀργύρου ἐστὶ γενέθλη[Refs 8th c.BC+]silver plate, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
2. ἄ. χυτός quicksilver, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. ={ἀργύριον}, silver-money, generally, money, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴ τι μὴ ξὺν ἀργύρῳ ἐπράσσετ᾽ by bribery, [Refs]; in later Prose, coupled with χρυσός, [NT+4th c.AD+]
III. ={λινόζωστος ἄρρην}, Ps.-[Refs 1st c.AD+]