- sophomore
- 1688, "student in the second year of university study," lit. "arguer," altered from sophumer (1653, from sophume, archaic variant form of sophism), probably by influence of folk etymology derivation from Gk. sophos "wise" + moros "foolish, dull." Short form soph is attested from 1778. Sophomoric "characteristic of a sophomore" (regarded as self-assured and opinionated but crude and immature) is attested from 1837.