The standard silver abbreviation is Ag, the chemical symbol for the element silver. It comes from argentum, the Latin word for silver, so the symbol looks nothing like the English word. Silver is element number 47 on the periodic table.
Outside a science class you may see other short forms. Price boards for metals use the code XAG, and product labels and paint lists often shorten the color to SLV or SLVR. Which one is right depends on whether you mean the metal, the color or a market code.
Quick facts
Chemical symbol
AgFrom
Latin argentum, silverAtomic number
47Capitals
Capital A, lowercase g, no periodColor short forms
SLV, SLVR (informal, on labels and lists)Market code
XAG, for one troy ounce of silverNot to be confused with
Si (silicon), Au (gold), Al (aluminum)
The silver abbreviation in chemistry: Ag
Every element has a one or two letter symbol. The first letter is always a capital and the second, if there is one, is always lowercase. So silver is written Ag, never AG or ag, and you never add a period, since a symbol is not a clipped word.
On a lab worksheet: "Write the formula for silver nitrate." The answer is AgNO3, with the 3 written small and low in a textbook. The Ag at the front tells you silver is part of the compound.
Why the abbreviation for silver is Ag and not Si
Students often guess Si or S for silver. Both are taken. Si is silicon, and S is sulfur. Many elements known since ancient times kept symbols from their Latin names, and silver is one of them.
| Element | Symbol | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Ag | argentum |
| Gold | Au | aurum |
| Copper | Cu | cuprum |
| Iron | Fe | ferrum |
| Lead | Pb | plumbum |
| Tin | Sn | stannum |
A quick memory trick: Ag sounds like the start of "argentum," and gold's Au is in "aurum." The country name Argentina also comes from the Latin word for silver.
Silver color abbreviations on labels
When silver means a color, there is no official short form. Stores, car dealers and parts lists use their own codes, and these are the ones you see most:
- SLV: common on product codes and order forms. "Case, SLV."
- SLVR: a slightly longer version, often in item descriptions.
- SIL or Sil.: used by some catalogs, though it can be confused with other words.
If you write a color in a sentence, spell out "silver." Save the short forms for tight spaces like a tag, a spreadsheet column or a SKU.
XAG and other money codes
Currency and metal markets use three letter codes. Silver's code is XAG: the X marks a commodity rather than a country, and AG is the chemical symbol. Gold works the same way as XAU. You see these codes on exchange tables and trading screens, usually priced per troy ounce, which is a little heavier than a regular kitchen ounce. Our ounce abbreviation page covers the everyday oz.
Marks on silver jewelry
Jewelry stamps are another kind of short form. A small "925" means sterling silver, which is 92.5 percent pure silver mixed with other metal for strength. You may also see "STER" or "Sterling." A piece marked "silver plated" has a thin silver layer over another metal, and it will not carry the 925 mark. These stamps are quality marks, not abbreviations of the word.
Quick tips for writing silver short forms
- In science, use Ag: capital A, lowercase g, no period.
- For colors on forms or tags, SLV is the most widely understood.
- In normal sentences, write the word silver.
- Do not write SI or Si for silver; that is silicon.
- For the market code, use XAG in capitals.
Our common abbreviations list covers many more words, and how to abbreviate lays out when shortened words get dots.
Questions people ask
Which abbreviation should I use for silver?
Chemists write silver as Ag, from the Latin argentum. For the color on labels, SLV or SLVR are common informal short forms.
Why is silver Ag on the periodic table?
The symbol comes from argentum, the Latin word for silver. Many metals known in ancient times kept Latin based symbols.
Is Si the symbol for silver?
No. Si is the symbol for silicon. Silver is Ag.
What does XAG mean?
XAG is the market code for silver, used on exchange tables and trading screens. The X marks a commodity and AG is the chemical symbol.
What does 925 mean on silver?
It means sterling silver, which is 92.5 percent pure silver. It is a quality stamp rather than an abbreviation.