argosy

noun

ar·​go·​sy ˈär-gə-sē How to pronounce argosy (audio)
plural argosies
1
: a large ship
especially : a large merchant ship
three of your argosies are … come to harbor William Shakespeare
2
: a fleet of ships
3
: a rich supply
an argosy of railway folklore F. P. Donovan

Did you know?

Looking at the first sense of "argosy," you might assume that this word is a close relative of "argonaut," but that isn't the case. Although both words have a nautical sense, they have different etymologies. The original argonauts sailed on a ship called the Argo to seek the Golden Fleece; their moniker combines the name of their ship and the Greek word nautēs, meaning "sailor." "Argosy" comes from "Ragusa," the Italian name for the city that is now Dubrovnik, Croatia. Over time, "Ragusa" was modified into "ragusea," a noun for the laden merchant ships that sailed from that port in medieval days. A broadening of meaning and another shift in spelling gave us "argosy," denoting any merchant vessel or rich store.

Example Sentences

a book that is an argosy of stories and legends about the golden age of Hollywood

Word History

Etymology

modification of Italian ragusea Ragusan vessel, from Ragusa, Dalmatia (now Dubrovnik, Croatia)

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of argosy was in 1581

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near argosy

Cite this Entry

“Argosy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/argosy. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Kids Definition

argosy

noun
ar·​go·​sy ˈär-gə-sē How to pronounce argosy (audio)
plural argosies
: a large merchant ship
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


The Great British Vocabulary Quiz

  • union jack speech bubble
  • Named after Sir Robert Peel, what are British police called?
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ