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sophist - 4 dictionary results
soph⋅ist
[sof-ist]
–noun
| 1. | (often initial capital letter ) Greek History.
|
| 2. | a person who reasons adroitly and speciously rather than soundly. |
| 3. | a philosopher. |
Origin:
1535–45; < L sophista < Gk sophist
s sage, deriv. of sophízesthai
1535–45; < L sophista < Gk sophist
s sage, deriv. of sophízesthai
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To sophist
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Sophist
Soph"ist\, n. [F. sophiste, L. sophistes, fr. Gr. ?. See Sophism.]1. One of a class of men who taught eloquence, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece; especially, one of those who, by their fallacious but plausible reasoning, puzzled inquirers after truth, weakened the faith of the people, and drew upon themselves general hatred and contempt. Many of the Sophists doubdtless card not for truth or morality, and merely professed to teach how to make the worse appear the better reason; but there scems no reason to hold that they were a special class, teaching special opinions; even Socrates and Plato were sometimes styled Sophists. --Liddell & Scott. 2. Hence, an impostor in argument; a captious or fallacious reasoner.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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sophist
1542, earlier sophister (c.1380), from L. sophista, sophistes, from Gk. sophistes, from sophizesthai "to become wise or learned," from sophos "wise, clever," of unknown origin. Gk. sophistes came to mean "one who gives intellectual instruction for pay," and, contrasted with "philosopher," it became a term of contempt. Ancient sophists were famous for their clever, specious arguments.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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