sophistry

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The actions or arguments of a sophist.
  2. Plausible yet fallacious argumentation or reasoning.
  3. An argument that seems plausible, but is fallacious or misleading, especially one devised deliberately to be so.

Pronunciation

/ˈsɒ.fɪ.stɹi/ /ˈsɑ.fɪ.stɹi/ en-us-sophistry.ogg

Word forms

sophistry sophistries

Etymology

From Middle English safistre, soffistre, sofystry, sophestrie, sophestry, sophestrye, sophistre, sophistri, sophistrie, sophistry, sophistrye, sophystrye, from Old French sofisterie, sophistrie and Medieval Latin sophistria, Anglo-Latin sophestria, from Latin sophista, from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “wise man”), from σοφίζω (sophízō, “to be wise”), from σοφός (sophós, “wise”), equivalent to sophist + -ry.

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