The Greek argyros refers to silver as a metal — the precious material itself, as distinct from argyrion which emphasizes silver coinage or money. It describes the refined metal used for jewelry, vessels, idols, and objects of value.
Argyros appears in Acts 19:24, where Demetrius the silversmith (argyrokokpos) made silver shrines of Artemis, and his trade was threatened by Paul's gospel. The word appears in 1 Corinthians 3:12 in the list of building materials — gold, silver, precious stones vs. wood, hay, straw — as metaphors for the quality of ministry work. In Revelation 18:12, silver is listed among Babylon's luxuries. James 5:3 warns that silver will rust as judgment on the hoarding rich. The refining of silver (Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 25:4) becomes a powerful biblical metaphor for God's purifying work in His people.