sophist

Meanings

Plural: sophists

Noun

any of a group of Greek philosophers and teachers in the 5th century BC who speculated on a wide range of subjects
someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious
One of a class of teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece.
A teacher who uses plausible but fallacious reasoning.
One who is captious, fallacious, or deceptive in argument.
Alternative form of sophister (“university student who has completed at least one year”).

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin sophista, also sophistes, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “pursuer of wisdom”), from σοφίζομαι (sophízomai, “to become wise”).

Synonyms

casuist, logic chopper

Scrabble Score: 12

sophist is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
sophist is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
sophist is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

sophist is a valid Words With Friends word