sophisticate

[ noun adjective suh-fis-ti-kit, -keyt; verb suh-fis-ti-keyt ]

noun

1. a sophisticated person.

adjective

1. sophisticated.

verb (used with object)

, so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing.

1. to make less natural, simple, or ingenuous; make worldly-wise.
2. to alter; pervert:

   to sophisticate a meaning beyond recognition.

verb (used without object)

, so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing.

1. to use sophistry; quibble.

sophisticate

verb

1. tr to make (someone) less natural or innocent, as by education
2. to pervert or corrupt (an argument, etc) by sophistry
3. tr to make more complex or refined
4. rare.
   to falsify (a text, etc) by alterations

noun

1. a sophisticated person

Derived Forms

• soˌphistiˈcation, noun
• soˈphistiˌcator, noun

Other Words From

• outso·phisti·cate verb (used with object) outsophisticated outsophisticating

Word History and Origins

Origin of sophisticate¹

1350–1400; Middle English (adj. and v.) < Medieval Latin sophisticātus (past participle of sophisticāre to tamper with, disguise, trick with words), equivalent to Latin sophistic ( us ) ( sophistic ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sophisticate¹

C14: from Medieval Latin sophisticāre, from Latin sophisticus sophistic

Example Sentences

The vertigo your coastal sophisticate might get from perusing 1791.

From The Daily Beast

Here we are in 1970s New York City, with a certain kind of sophisticate; someone must be wearing checked pants.

From The Daily Beast

The collection shows the princess's evolution from Sloane Ranger to sleek sophisticate.

From The Daily Beast

A great mind can neither sophisticate nor suppress its earnest convictions.

From Project Gutenberg

Ours is continually the task to civilize, to sophisticate, to refine this raw material.

From Project Gutenberg

As far as Clavering could see, she had every intention of making a Sophisticate night of it.

From Project Gutenberg

He must needs try to sophisticate us by talking about "the doings of the gods."

From Project Gutenberg

Ale was originally made from barley-malt and yeast alone, and those who put in anything else were held to sophisticate the liquor.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• corrupt
• degrade
• pollute