noun
sophism
Sophism (noun) means the ancient group of Sophists, along with their beliefs and way of teaching philosophy and public speaking.
noun
1
The ancient group of Sophists, along with their beliefs and way of teaching philosophy and public speaking.
"Empiricism has its roots in Greek and Roman sophism and skepticism, and continues through Kant and American pragmatism."
— Murray Leaf, Ethnography and Pragmatism (2003)
"Sophistic teachers did not, in general, consciously aim at corrupting the young or turning them against their parents, but the radical skepticism and moral relativism of later sophism indirectly achieved something like this."
— Richard M. Berthold, Dare to Struggle: The History and Society of Greece (2009)
"Within the framework of democracy a new ideology, born of sophism, took root and proclaimed the rights of the individual in all spheres, political as well as moral."
— Sophie Trenkner, The Greek Novella in the Classical Period (1958)
2
An argument that looks sound but is actually wrong, usually meant to trick people.
3
A false argument used on purpose.
4
Clever-sounding but mistaken reasoning.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like sophism.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
From Middle English sophim, from Old French soffime, sofime, sofisme, sophisme, from Latin sophisma (“fallacy, sophism”), from Ancient Greek σόφῐσμᾰ (sóphĭsmă), from σοφίζω (sophízō) + -μα (-ma).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of sophism?
"sophism" (noun) means the ancient group of Sophists, along with their beliefs and way of teaching philosophy and public speaking.
What is another word for sophism?
Other words for "sophism" include sophistication, sophistry.
What are the different meanings of sophism?
"sophism" has 3 main meanings: 1. The ancient group of Sophists, along with their beliefs and way of teaching philosophy and public speaking; 2. An argument that looks sound but is actually wrong, usually meant to trick people; 3. A false argument used on purpose.
