Argonaut
/ˈɑːr.ɡəˌnɔːt/noun
A member of Jason’s crew in Greek mythology; by extension, a bold adventurer or explorer.
Did you know?The name comes from the Argo, Jason’s ship, plus Greek naútēs, “sailor,” so every “Argonaut” is etymologically a crewman of a legendary vessel.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀργοναύτης (Argonaútēs)
“An Argonaut; a sailor of the Argo, Jason’s ship”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀργώ (Argṓ)
“The Argo, the legendary ship of Jason and the Argonauts”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ναύτης (naútēs)
“Sailor, seaman”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sneh₂u-
“To swim, flow; source of Greek words for sailing and ships”
Modern English
English
argonaut
“A member of Jason’s crew; an adventurer or explorer”