This compound noun denotes a craftsman who works with silver, particularly one who manufactures silver objects, coins, or decorative items. Classical sources distinguish silversmiths from coiners, though both worked with precious metal. Luke uses it to identify Demetrius's profession—a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis in Ephesus. This detail is crucial to understanding the economic motivation behind the riot Demetrius instigated: Paul's preaching threatened the profitable trade in silver devotional objects.