sophist

Meanings

1. Alternative letter-case form of Sophist, certain teachers in Ancient Greece, particularly skilled orators.
2. A teacher who uses plausible but fallacious reasoning.
3. One who is captious, fallacious, or deceptive in argument.
4. Synonym of sophister (“university student who has completed at least one year”).

1. A teacher in Ancient Greece, particularly (derogatory) teachers of oratory noted for their disingenuous argumentation and fallacious reasoning.
2. Alternative letter-case form of sophist, various figurative senses.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin sophista and sophistes, borrowed from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “wise one”), from σοφίζομαι (sophízomai, “to become wise”).