sophister

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   dated or rare: a person who uses clever but fallacious or misleading arguments; a sophist

   The pamphlet dismissed the statesmen as sophisters who preferred clever theory to practical reform.

2. 2
   noun

   historical: an undergraduate beyond the first year at certain British, Irish, or early American universities

   The college register lists him as a senior sophister in 1762.

From Middle English sofister and related forms, via Anglo-Norman or Old French sofistre from Latin sophista, ultimately Greek sophistes ("wise person; teacher"). The university sense reflects the historical naming of students by their stage of study.

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