'silversmith' originates from Old English, specifically a compound of 'silver' and 'smith'; 'silver' comes from Old English 'seolfor', and 'smith' comes from Old English 'smið' meaning 'craftsman'.

'silver' changed from Old English 'seolfor' to Middle English 'silver', and 'smith' changed from Old English 'smið' to Middle English 'smith'; these elements combined in Middle English to form the compound 'silversmith', which became the modern English word 'silversmith'.

Initially, it meant 'a smith who works with silver', and over time it has retained that basic meaning into modern English.