φιλάργυρος
Lemma: φιλάργυρος
Translation: greedy; avaricious; money-loving; covetous; miserly (adjective)
Etymology: From ancient Greek φιλάργυρος, a compound of φίλος (philos, 'loving') + άργυρος (argyros, 'silver'). The word literally means 'silver-loving' or 'money-loving'. The root 'phil-' appears in many English words like 'philosophy' (love of wisdom) and 'philanthropy' (love of humanity). The 'argyros' element is related to the chemical symbol Ag for silver and appears in English 'argent' (heraldic term for silver). This compound formation pattern was common in ancient Greek for describing character traits through what someone loves or desires.
Mnemonics
- Think 'Phil loves silver' - Phil-argyros
- Remember 'philanthropist' but opposite - loves money instead of people
- Silver-lover: argyros sounds like 'Argos' the city known for wealth
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Often used in literary or formal contexts to describe someone with excessive love of money. In Greek culture, being called φιλάργυρος carries strong moral disapproval, as generosity and hospitality are highly valued traits. The term appears frequently in religious and philosophical texts.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: Both start with φιλ- but have opposite meanings - one loves money, the other loves humanity
This word:
Ο φιλάργυρος επιχειρηματίας αρνήθηκε να βοηθήσει.
The greedy businessman refused to help.
Notes: Both are formal adjectives describing character, but with completely opposite moral connotations
Mnemonic: Argyros = silver (money), anthropos = people - remember what each one loves