'Argentinean' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'Argentina', where the element 'argent-' comes from Latin 'argentum' meaning 'silver'.

'Argentinean' developed from the place-name 'Argentina' (Spanish), which in turn comes from Latin 'argentum'; the English country name 'Argentina' was adopted in the 16th–19th centuries and the adjective/noun 'Argentinean' formed from that name in modern English.

Initially associated with 'silver' (from Latin 'argentum') and the idea of a 'land of silver', it later came to denote the country 'Argentina' and things or people from that country; the modern meaning is 'of or from Argentina'.