argonaut
|ar-go-naut|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrɡəˌnɔt/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːɡəˌnɔːt/
sailor/adventurous voyager
Etymology
'argonaut' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Argonautēs', where 'Argo' meant 'the ship Argo' and 'nautēs' meant 'sailor'.
'argonaut' changed from Classical Greek 'Argonautēs' to Latin 'Argonautae' and later via French 'argonaute' into the modern English 'argonaut'.
Initially, it meant 'a sailor on the ship Argo' (a specific mythological role), but over time it evolved into broader senses: 'an adventurous voyager' and a zoological name for the paper nautilus.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the crew of Jason on the ship Argo in Greek mythology; one of the Argonauts.
In the legend, an argonaut sailed with Jason to seek the Golden Fleece.
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Noun 2
a person who takes part in an adventurous voyage or enterprise; an adventurer or explorer.
19th-century argonauts set off for distant lands in search of fortune.
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Noun 3
a common name for the paper nautilus (a pelagic octopod of the genus Argonauta), especially the female that makes a papery shell.
The argonaut floats near the surface and can be identified by its delicate, paper-like shell.
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Last updated: 2025/10/12 20:46