Argentina

[ ahr-juhn-tee-nuh; Spanish ahr-hen-tee-nah ]

noun
  1. a republic in southern South America. 1,084,120 sq. mi. (2,807,870 sq. km). Capital: Buenos Aires.

Origin of Argentina

1
From Spanish, from Italian: literally “made of silver, silver colored” (equivalent to argento “silver” + -ino adjective suffix), shortening of Terra Argentina “Land of Silver,” or Costa Argentina “Coast of Silver”; ultimately a derivative of Latin argentum “silver”; see also -ine1
  • Also called the Ar·gen·tine [thuh-ahr-juhn-teen]. /ðə ˈɑr dʒənˌtin/.
  • Official name Ar·gen·tine Re·pub·lic [ahr-juhn-teen ri-puhb-lik]. /ˈɑr dʒənˌtin rɪˈpʌb lɪk/.

Other words from Argentina

  • an·ti-Ar·gen·ti·na, adjective
  • pro-Ar·gen·ti·na, adjective

Words Nearby Argentina

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How to use Argentina in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Argentina

Argentina

/ (ˌɑːdʒənˈtiːnə) /


noun
  1. a republic in southern South America: colonized by the Spanish from 1516 onwards; gained independence in 1816 and became a republic in 1852; ruled by military dictatorships for much of the 20th century; civilian rule restored in 1983; consists chiefly of subtropical plains and forests (the Chaco) in the north, temperate plains (the pampas) in the central parts, the Andes in the west, and an infertile plain extending to Tierra del Fuego in the south (Patagonia); an important meat producer. Language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic. Currency: peso. Capital: Buenos Aires. Pop: 42 610 981 (2013 est). Area: 2 776 653 sq km (1 072 067 sq miles): Also called: the Argentine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Argentina

Argentina

Republic in southern South America, bordered by Chile to the west; Bolivia and Paraguay to the north; and Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Its capital and largest city is Buenos Aires.

Notes for Argentina

Second-largest nation of South America, after Brazil.

Notes for Argentina

Juan Perón came to power in Argentina in 1946, establishing a dictatorship, and ruled with the aid of his second wife, the popular Eva Perón, until he was overthrown in 1955. He was president again from 1973 to 1974, when he died.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.