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sophistry

 - 3 dictionary results

soph⋅ist⋅ry

[sof-uh-stree]
–noun, plural -ries.
1. a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.
2. a false argument; sophism.

Origin:
1300–50; ME sophistrie < MF, equiv. to sophistre sophister + -ie -y 3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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soph·is·try   (sŏf'ĭ-strē)   
n.   pl. soph·is·tries
  1. Plausible but fallacious argumentation.

  2. A plausible but misleading or fallacious argument.

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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Word Origin & History

sophistry 
1340, from O.Fr. sophistrie, from M.L. sophistria, from L. sophista, sophistes (see sophist).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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