sophist

English

/ˈsɒfɪst/, /ˈsoʊfɪst/

noun

Definitions

One of a class of teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece.
(loosely) A teacher who used plausible but fallacious reasoning.
(loosely) One who is captious, fallacious, or deceptive in argument.
(dated) (alt form) sophister

Etymology

Derived from Latin sophista derived from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (pursuer of wisdom).

Origin

Ancient Greek

σοφιστής

Gloss

pursuer of wisdom

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms

philosophistic English
sophistic English
unsophistic English
sophista Latin
sophistes Latin
sofista Italian
sofista Spanish, Castilian
σοφίζω Ancient Greek
σοφιστής Ancient Greek
sofista Portuguese
sofista Catalan, Valencian