sophister

American  

[sof-uh-ster] / ˈsɒf ə stər /

noun

1. a specious, unsound, or fallacious reasoner.

2. Chiefly British. (especially formerly) a second or third year student at a university.

3. Obsolete. an ancient Greek sophist.

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sophister British  

/ ˈsɒfɪstə /

noun

1. (esp formerly) a second-year undergraduate at certain British universities

2. rare another word for sophist

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Etymology

Origin of sophister

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French sophistre < Latin sophista. See sophist

Example Sentences

Soone after that was sent in two blacke Friers, an Englishe Frier & an other subtile sophister called Arbircromy, with the which Englishe Frier he would haue reasoned and declared hys fayth by the scriptures.

From The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 (of 6) by Laing, David

Tennyson's was not an unmitigated optimism, and had no special confidence in "The herd, wild hearts and feeble wings    That every sophister can lime."

From Alfred Tennyson by Lang, Andrew

But pamper not a hasty time, Nor feed with crude imaginings The herd, wild hearts and feeble wings That every sophister can lime.

From The Message by Brock, H. M. (Henry Matthew)

I," observes Franklin, "who stood by and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere novice.

From Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume II (of 2) A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings by Bruce, Wiliam Cabell

Herein the divell plays the double sophister; the sorcerer with sorcerers.

From Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 3 by Disraeli, Isaac