ar·got

(är′gō)

n. A specialized vocabulary or set of idioms used by a particular group: thieves' argot.

[French, from earlier argot , underworld of beggars and thieves, of unknown origin.]

Usage Note: The pronunciation of argot as (är′gət) was long considered acceptable and has historically been included in most dictionaries. However, it is falling out of favor; in our 2005 survey, 75 percent of the Usage Panel found that pronunciation unacceptable.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.