Tudor Arghezi, (born May 21, 1880, Bucharest, Rom.—died July 14, 1967, Bucharest), Romanian poet, novelist, and essayist whose creation of a new lyric poetry led to his recognition as one of the foremost writers in Romania. He produced his best work in the years before World War I.

Arghezi, who left home at age 11, first published a poem at age 14. In 1899 he took holy orders in a monastery in Cernica, but he soon renounced them. After traveling through Europe, he resettled in Bucharest in 1910. He was a pacifist during World War I and was jailed in 1918 for contributing to a pro-German newspaper.