The synthesis of metal nanoparticles by eco-friendly and reliable processes is an important aspect in many fields. In this study, octamethoxy resorcin [4] arene tetrahydrazide (OMRTH)-reduced and stabilized silver nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple one-pot method. Synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analyzer (PSA). Furthermore, the application of OMRTH-AgNps as a simple, cost-effective and sensitive fluorescent sensor for rapid detection of cadmium was explored. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of OMRTH-AgNps was inversely proportional to the cadmium concentration. Using OMRTH-AgNps as a selective and sensitive fluorescent probe, cadmium can be detected at a minimum concentration level of 10⁻⁸ M in a facile way of fluorescence quenching, i.e., by a “turn off” mechanism. The method has been successfully applied for determination of Cd[II] ions in groundwater and industrial effluent wastewater samples.