'argyrite' originates from New Latin 'argyrites', ultimately from Greek 'argyros', where 'argyros' meant 'silver'.

'argyros' (Greek) gave rise to New Latin 'argyrites' and was adopted into English as 'argyrite' to denote silver-bearing minerals.

Initially it was derived from a root meaning 'silver'; over time the term came to denote specifically a silver-bearing mineral (and historically was used for several silver sulfide forms).