Quick Definition
ἀργύριον, ου, τό n.n. silver, a shekel, money in general
Strong's Definition
neuter of a presumed derivative of 696; silvery, i.e. (by implication) cash; specially, a silverling (i.e. drachma or shekel)
KJV Usage: money, (piece of) silver (piece)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -ου | ἄργυρος
2.51 · Natural Substances · Metals
silver the metal silver; after gold the next most highly valued metal in the ancient world As in the case of ‘gold’ (2.49), there is usually no difficulty involved in obtaining a satisfactory term for ‘silver’ in most languages. In 1PE 1:18, however, there is a problem in speaking of silver and gold that ‘perish,’ or even as something that can be ‘destroyed,’ since in reality one does not destroy such elements, and silver and gold do not really ‘perish.’ On the other hand, silver and gold can become oxidized and lose their value, especially if they are impure (see 2.60). Therefore, it seems far better to emphasize the lack of value in translating 1PE 1:18. A suitable rendering may then be ‘not with things that can lose their value as silver and gold.’
6.73 · Artifacts · Money and Monetary Units
silver money, silver coin silver in the form of stamped coins used as money
MAT 25:18 · MAT 25:27 · MAT 26:15 · MAT 27:3 · MAT 27:5 · MAT 27:6 · MAT 27:9 · MAT 28:12 · MAT 28:15 · MRK 14:11 · LUK 9:3 · LUK 19:15 · LUK 19:23 · LUK 22:5 · ACT 7:16 · ACT 8:20 · ACT 19:19
1 Except for the occurrence of ἀργύριον in the plural (MAT 26:15), it would be possible to derive all of these references to copper (bronze), silver, and gold coins as direct and predictable metonymic correspondences of the respective terms for substances (see 2.54, 51, 49). Since, however, some languages employ clear distinctions between metals as substances and metals when manufactured into the form of coins, the present classification would seem to be more useful.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀργύριον, -ov, τό, (fr. ἄργυρος, q. v-), [fr. Hdt. down]; 1. silver: Acts iii. 6; vii. 16; xx. 33; 1 Pet.i.18; [1 Co. iii. 12 T Tr WH]. 2. money: simply, Mt. xxv. 18, 27; Mk. xiv. 11; Lk. ix. 8; xix. 15, 23; xxii. 5; Acts viii. 20; plur., Mt. xxviii. [12], 15. 3. Spec. a silver coin, silver-piece, (Luther, Silberling), Spy, σίκλος, shekel [see B. Ὁ. s. v.], i. e. a coin in cireulation among the Jews after the exile, from the time of Simon (ce. B.c. 141) down (cf. 1 Mace. xv. 6 sq. [yet see B. Ὁ. 8. v. Money, and reff. in Schiirer, N. T. Zeitgesch. § 7]) ; according to Josephus (antt. 3, 8, 2) equal to the Attic tetradrachm or the Alexandrian didrachm (ef. στατήρ [B. D. 5. v. Piece of Silver]) : Mt. xxvi. 15; xxvii. 3,5 sq. 9. In Acts xix. 19, ἀργυρίου μυριάδες πέντε fifly thousand pieces of silver (Germ. 50,000 in Silber i. q. Silbergeld), doubtless drachmas [ef. δηνάριον] are meant ; cf. Meyer [et al.] ad loc.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀργύριον argyrion 20x
silver; meton. money, Mt. 25:18, 27
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀργύριον, -ου, τό
(< ἄργυρος), [in LXX for כֶּסֶף (Ge 13:2, al.), exc. La 4:1 (כֶּתֶם);]
prop., a piece of silver (Lft., Notes, 191); in NT, silver: Ac 3:6 7:16 19:19 20:33, I Co 3:12, I Pe 1:18;
money: Mt 25:18, 27, Mk 14:11, Lk 9:3 19:15, 23 22:5, Ac 8:20;
a silver coin: pl., Mt 26:15 27:3, 5, 6, 9 28:12, 15, where the value is that of a shekel or tetradrachm; ἀργυρίου μυριάδες πέντε (prob. drachmas; MM, s.v.), Ac 19:19.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀργύριον. In the marriage contract P Eleph 11 (Β.6. 311-10) (= Selections, p. 3) provision is made that in certain circumstances the bridegroom shall repay the bride ἀργυρίου ᾿Αλεξανδρείου (δραχμὰς) A, ‘1000 drachmas of Alexander’s coinage.” According to the editor, this is ‘‘perhaps the earliest documentary mention of Alexander’s coinage,” unless Syll 176 is about two years older. In P Amh II. 405 (ii/B.c.) mention is made of a bribe consisting of ἀργυρίου σταί(τῆρας) ἢ», ‘eight staters of silver,” by means of which a certain Epiodorus secured a fresh division of land in the interests of the temple: of Socnopaeus. For a similar use of ἀργυρισμός and ἀργυρίζομαι see Wilcken Archiv iv. Ρ. 174.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀργύριον (argurion) — money. ἀργύριον [ῠ], τό, small coin, piece of money, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. collectively, money, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. ῥητόν a fixed sum, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀ. λογισθέντα calculated in our money, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. καθαρόν 'hard cash', [Refs 3rd c.BC+] the money, the cash, δανείζεσθαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀπαιτεῖν[Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. ={ἄργυρος}, silver, πεντηκοσίας μνέας ἀργυρίου[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. ἐπίσημον and ἄσημον[Refs 5th c.BC+]lead oxide, [Refs 5th c.BC+]