Argonaut

[ ahr-guh-nawt, -not ]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a member of the band of men who sailed to Colchis with Jason in the ship Argo in search of the Golden Fleece.
2. (sometimes lowercase) a person in quest of something dangerous but rewarding; adventurer.
3. a person who moved to California during the gold rush of 1849.
4. (lowercase) paper nautilus.

Argonaut

/ ˈɑːɡəˌnɔːt /

noun

1. Greek myth one of the heroes who sailed with Jason in quest of the Golden Fleece
2. a person who took part in the Californian gold rush of 1849
3. another name for the paper nautilus

Derived Forms

• ˌArgoˈnautic, adjective

Other Words From

• Argo·nautic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Argonaut¹

< Latin Argonauta < Greek Argonaútēs crewman of the ship Argo; nautical

Word History and Origins

Origin of Argonaut¹

C16: from Greek Argonautēs, from Argō the name of Jason's ship + nautēs sailor

Example Sentences

The first vessel adapted to these purposes was the “Argonaut,” built by Simon Lake in 1894.

From Project Gutenberg

We have not spoken of the Chancellor as an argonaut, of the Chancellor as a colonizer.

From Project Gutenberg

I again had the pleasure of feeling that in this, as in other enterprises, I was an argonaut and a pioneer.

From Project Gutenberg

The argonaut, or paper-nautilus, must be carefully distinguished from the pearly-nautilus or nautilus proper (Nautilus Pompilius).

From Project Gutenberg

He engaged a room on the fourth floor of the Argonaut, from which he was able to observe the coming and going of the enemy.

From Project Gutenberg