argyrocephalous
|ar-gy-ro-ceph-a-lous|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrɡɪroʊˈsɛfələs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːɡɪrəʊˈsɛfələs/
silver-headed
Etymology
'argyrocephalous' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the elements 'argyros' and 'kephale', where 'argyros' meant 'silver' and 'kephale' meant 'head'.
'argyrocephalous' was formed in scientific/Neo-Latin coinage from Greek roots (compare forms such as 'argyro-' + 'cephalus/cephalous') and entered English via taxonomic and descriptive biological usage.
Initially it literally meant 'silver-headed'; over time it has retained this literal, descriptive meaning and remains primarily a technical term in biology and zoology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(rare) An individual organism or species characterized by a silver-colored head; used as a noun in some scientific or descriptive contexts to refer to such an organism.
The argyrocephalous was easy to spot among the shoal because of its bright, silvery head.
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Adjective 1
having a silver-colored or silvery head; used especially in biological descriptions to denote animals with reflective or silver-tinted heads.
Several coastal species are described as argyrocephalous because their heads reflect light with a silvery sheen.
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Last updated: 2025/10/12 14:42