σοφός

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Unknown. If related to Σίσυφος (Sísuphos) and σαφής (saphḗs, “speaking clearly”), then likely from a Pre-Greek substrate.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /so.pʰós/ → /soˈɸos/ → /soˈfos/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /so.pʰós/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /soˈpʰos/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /soˈɸos/
• (10^th CE Medieval) IPA^(key): /soˈfos/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /soˈfos/

Adjective

σοφός • (sophós) m (feminine σοφή, neuter σοφόν); first/second declension

1. clever, skillful, cunning, able
2. intelligent, wise, prudent

Declension

First and second declension of σοφός; σοφή; σοφόν (Attic)

Number		Singular				Dual				Plural
Case/Gender		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative		σοφός sophós	σοφή sophḗ	σοφόν sophón		σοφώ sophṓ	σοφᾱ́ sophā́	σοφώ sophṓ		σοφοί sophoí	σοφαί sophaí	σοφᾰ́ sophắ
Genitive		σοφοῦ sophoû	σοφῆς sophês	σοφοῦ sophoû		σοφοῖν sophoîn	σοφαῖν sophaîn	σοφοῖν sophoîn		σοφῶν sophôn	σοφῶν sophôn	σοφῶν sophôn
Dative		σοφῷ sophōî	σοφῇ sophēî	σοφῷ sophōî		σοφοῖν sophoîn	σοφαῖν sophaîn	σοφοῖν sophoîn		σοφοῖς sophoîs	σοφαῖς sophaîs	σοφοῖς sophoîs
Accusative		σοφόν sophón	σοφήν sophḗn	σοφόν sophón		σοφώ sophṓ	σοφᾱ́ sophā́	σοφώ sophṓ		σοφούς sophoús	σοφᾱ́ς sophā́s	σοφᾰ́ sophắ
Vocative		σοφέ sophé	σοφή sophḗ	σοφόν sophón		σοφώ sophṓ	σοφᾱ́ sophā́	σοφώ sophṓ		σοφοί sophoí	σοφαί sophaí	σοφᾰ́ sophắ
Derived forms		Adverb				Comparative				Superlative
		σοφῶς sophôs				σοφώτερος sophṓteros				σοφώτᾰτος sophṓtătos
Notes:		This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• ᾰ̓γροικόσοφος (ăgroikósophos, “with rude mother's-wit”)
• ᾰ̓κρόσοφος (ăkrósophos, “high in wisdom”)
• ᾰ̓́σοφος (ắsophos, “foolish”)
• αὐτόσοφος (autósophos, “with native mother's-wit”)
• βᾰθῠσοφός (băthŭsophós)
• δῐᾰ́σοφος (dĭắsophos, “very wise”)
• δοκησῐ́σοφος (dokēsĭ́sophos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• δοξομᾰταιόσοφος (doxomătaiósophos, “would-be philosopher”)
• δοξόσοφος (doxósophos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• ἐθελοφῐλόσοφος (ethelophĭlósophos, “would-be philosopher”)
• ἐμφῐλόσοφος (emphĭlósophos, “philosophical”)
• ἔνσοφος (énsophos, “wise in”)
• ἐπῐ́σσοφος (epĭ́ssophos, “supervisor; an official at Thera”)
• ζωόσοφος (zōósophos, “wise about life”)
• ἡμῐ́σοφος (hēmĭ́sophos, “half-wise”)
• θεόσοφος (theósophos, “wise in the things of God”)
• θῡμόσοφος (thūmósophos, “wise from one's own soul”)
• ῑ̓ᾱτροφῐλόσοφος (īātrophĭlósophos, “scientific doctor”)
• μῑκρόσοφος (mīkrósophos, “wise in small matters”)
• μῑσόσοφος (mīsósophos, “hating wisdom”)
• μωρόσοφος (mōrósophos, “foolishly wise, sapient fool”)
• οἰησῐ́σοφος (oiēsĭ́sophos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• ὀφθᾰλμόσοφος (ophthălmósophos, “skilled in the eyes; oculist”)
• πᾰ́νσοφος (pắnsophos, “most clever”)
• πᾰντόσοφος (păntósophos, “most clever”)
• πᾰ́σσοφος (pắssophos, “most clever”)
• πολῠ́σοφος (polŭ́sophos, “very wise”)
• προσποιησῐ́σοφος (prospoiēsĭ́sophos, “pretending to be wise”)
• προσποιήσοφος (prospoiḗsophos, “pretending to be wise”)
• σοφῐ́ᾱ (sophĭ́ā, “skill; sound judgment; wisdom”)
• Σοφοκλέης (Sophokléēs, “Sophocles”)
• Σοφοκλῆς (Sophoklês, “Sophocles”)
• σοφόνοος (sophónoos, “wise-minded”)
• σοφόνους (sophónous, “wise-minded”)
• σοφοτέχνης (sophotékhnēs, “skilled in art”)
• τρῐ́σοφος (trĭ́sophos, “very wise”, literally “thrice wise”)
• ῠ̔πέρσοφος (hŭpérsophos, “exceedingly wise”)
• ῠ̔πόσοφος (hŭpósophos, “sub-scientific”)
• φῐλοσοφοκλῆς (phĭlosophoklês, “lover of Sophocles”)
• φῐλοσοφομειρᾰκῐ́σκος (phĭlosophomeirăkĭ́skos, “young man of science”)
• φῐλόσοφος (phĭlósophos, “lover of wisdom; philosopher”)
• Χειρῐ́σοφος (Kheirĭ́sophos, male name)
• χειρῐ́σοφος (kheirĭ́sophos, “skilled with the hands”)
• χειρόσοφος (kheirósophos, “skilled with the hands”)

Related terms

• ἀγροικόσοφος (agroikósophos, “with rude mother's-wit”)
• ἀκᾰτᾰσόφῐστος (akătăsóphĭstos, “not to be put down by fallacies”)
• ἀκρόσοφος (akrósophos, “high in wisdom”)
• ἀντῐσοφῐ́ζομαι (antĭsophĭ́zomai, “use counter-devices”)
• ἀντισοφῐστεύω (antisophĭsteúō)
• ἀντισοφῐστής m (antisophĭstḗs, “who seeks to refute”)
• ἀντιφῐλοσοφέω (antiphĭlosophéō, “hold contrary tenets”)
• ἀποσοφόομαι (aposophóomai, “become wise”)
• ἀσοφῐ́ᾱ f (asophĭ́ā, “folly, stupidity”)
• ἀσόφῐστος (asóphĭstos, “not deluded by fallacies”)
• ἄσοφος (ásophos, “foolish”)
• αὐτοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (autosophĭ́ā, “authentic wisdom”)
• αὐτόσοφος (autósophos, “with native wit, mother's-wit”)
• ἀφῐλοσόφητος (aphĭlosóphētos, “not versed in philosophy”)
• ἀφῐλοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (aphĭlosophĭ́ā, “contempt for philosophy”)
• ἀφῐλόσοφος (aphĭlósophos, “without taste for philosophy, unphilosophical”)
• βᾰθῠσοφός (băthŭsophós)
• γυμνοσοφῐσταί m pl (gumnosophĭstaí, “naked philosophers, gymnosophists”)
• γυμνοσοφῐστῐ́ᾱ f (gumnosophĭstĭ́ā, “wisdom of gymnosophists”)
• δειπνοσοφῐστής m (deipnosophĭstḗs, “learned in the mysteries of the kitchen”), Δειπνοσοφισταί m pl (Deipnosophistaí, “title of work by Athenaeus”)
• δῐᾰσοφῐ́ζομαι (dĭăsophĭ́zomai, “argue like a sophist”)
• δῐᾰ́σοφος (dĭắsophos, “very wise”)
• δοκησῐσοφῐ́ᾱ f (dokēsĭsophĭ́ā, “conceit of wisdom”)
• δοκησῐ́σοφος (dokēsĭ́sophos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• δοξομᾰταιόσοφος (doxomătaiósophos, “would-be philosopher”)
• δοξοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (doxosophĭ́ā, “conceit of wisdom”)
• δοξόσοφος (doxósophos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• ἐθελοφῐλόσοφος m (ethelophĭlósophos, “would-be philosopher”)
• ἐμφῐλοσοφέω (emphĭlosophéō, “study philosophy in”)
• ἐμφῐλόσοφος (emphĭlósophos, “philosophical”)
• ἐνσοφῐστεύω (ensophĭsteúō, “trick like a sophist”)
• ἔνσοφος (énsophos, “wise in”)
• ἐπῐσοφῐ́ζομαι (epĭsophĭ́zomai, “devise in addition”)
• ἐπίσσοφος m (epíssophos, “supervisor, an official at Thera”)
• ζωόσοφος (zōósophos, “wise unto life”)
• ἡμῐ́σοφος (hēmĭ́sophos, “half-wise”)
• θεοσοφέω (theosophéō, “have knowledge of things divine”)
• θεοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (theosophĭ́ā, “knowledge of things divine”)
• θεόσοφος (theósophos, “wise in the things of God”)
• θῡμοσοφῐκός (thūmosophĭkós, “clever”)
• θῡμόσοφος (thūmósophos, “wise from one's own soul”)
• ἰᾱτροσοφῐστής m (iātrosophĭstḗs, “professor of medicine”)
• ἰᾱτροφῐλόσοφος m (iātrophĭlósophos, “scientific doctor”)
• κᾰτᾰσοφῐ́ζομαι (kătăsophĭ́zomai, “outwit by sophisms”)
• κᾰτᾰσοφῐσμός m (kătăsophĭsmós, “outwitting, trickery”)
• κᾰτᾰφῐλοσοφέω (kătăphĭlosophéō, “overcome in philosophizing”)
• μεγᾰλοσοφῐστής m (megălosophĭstḗs, “μέγας (great) σοφιστής”)
• μετεωροσοφῐστής m (meteōrosophĭstḗs, “astronomical sophist”)
• μῑκρόσοφος (mīkrósophos, “wise in small matters”)
• μῑσόσοφος (mīsósophos, “hating wisdom”)
• μωρόσοφος (mōrósophos, “foolishly wise, sapient fool”)
• οἰησῐ́σοφος (oiēsĭ́sophos, “wisein his own conceit”)
• ὀφθαλμόσοφος (ophthalmósophos, “skilled in the eyes; oculist”)
• πάνσοφος (pánsophos, “most clever”)
• πᾰντόσοφος (păntósophos, “most clever”)
• πᾰρᾰσοφῐ́ζομαι (părăsophĭ́zomai, “out-do in skill, refine overmuch; apply art wrongly”)
• πᾰρᾰσόφῐσμᾰ n (părăsóphĭsmă, “additional invention”)
• πάσσοφος (pássophos, “very wise; (for πάνσοφος)”)
• περῐσοφῐ́ζομαι (perĭsophĭ́zomai, “overreach, cheat”)
• πολῠ́σοφος (polŭ́sophos, “very wise”)
• προσποιησῐ́σοφος (prospoiēsĭ́sophos, “pretending to be wise”), προσποιήσοφος (prospoiḗsophos)
• προσφῐλοσοφέω (prosphĭlosophéō, “speculate further upon”)
• προσφῐλοσοφητέον (prosphĭlosophētéon, “must begin philosophy”)
• σεσοφῐσμένως (sesophĭsménōs, “cunningly”, adverb)
• σοφῐ́ᾱ f (sophĭ́ā, “skill, wisdom”)
• σοφῐβόλος (sophĭbólos, “stupid”)
• σοφῐ́ζω (sophĭ́zō, “make wise, instruct, devise”), σοφῐ́ζομαι
• σοφῐ́η f (sophĭ́ē, “skill, wisdom, σοφία”) (Ionic)
• σόφῐσμᾰ n (sóphĭsmă, “skill, method”)
• σοφῐσμᾰτῐκός (sophĭsmătĭkós, “sophistical”)
• σοφῐσμάτιον n (sophĭsmátion, “diminutive of σόφισμα”)
• σοφῐσματώδης (sophĭsmatṓdēs, “sophistical”)
• σοφῐσμός m (sophĭsmós, “skill, method, σόφισμα”)
• σοφῐστείᾱ f (sophĭsteíā, “sophistry”)
• σοφῐστέον (sophĭstéon, “one must contrive”)
• σοφῐστέος (sophĭstéos, “one must contrive”)
• σοφῐ́στευμᾰ n (sophĭ́steumă, “skill, method, σόφισμα”)
• σοφῐστεύω (sophĭsteúō, “play the sophist; teach, give lectures”)
• σοφῐστήρῐον n (sophĭstḗrĭon, “school of sophistry”)
• σοφῐστής m (sophĭstḗs, “expert; philosopher, teacher; swindler”)
• σοφῐστῐάω (sophĭstĭáō, “play the sophist”)
• σοφῐστῐκός (sophĭstĭkós, “of a sophist”)
• σοφῐστορήτωρ m (sophĭstorḗtōr, “σοφιστὴς sophist and ῥήτωρ orator”)
• σοφῐ́στρῐᾰ f (sophĭ́strĭă, “feminine of σοφιστής”)
• Σοφοκλέης m (Sophokléēs, “Sophocles”), Σοφοκλῆς (Sophoklês)
• σοφόνοος (sophónoos, “wise-minded”), σοφόνους (sophónous)
• σοφός (sophós, “wise”)
• σοφοτέχνης m (sophotékhnēs, “skilled in art”)
• σοφόω (sophóō, “σοφίζω, make wise, instruct, devise”)
• σῠμφῐλοσοφέω (sŭmphĭlosophéō, “join in philosophizing”)
• σῠνασοφέω (sŭnasophéō, “be unwise, foolish along with”)
• τρῐ́σοφος (trĭ́sophos, “thrice wise: very wise”)
• ῠ̔περσοφῐστεύω (hŭpersophĭsteúō, “be an arch-sophist”)
• ῠ̔περσοφῐστής m (hŭpersophĭstḗs, “arch-sophist”)
• ῠ̔πέρσοφος (hŭpérsophos, “exceedingly wise”)
• ῠ̔περφῐλοσοφέω (hŭperphĭlosophéō, “philosophize exceedingly”)
• ῠ̔πόσοφος (hŭpósophos, “sub-scientific”)
• φῐλοσοφέω (phĭlosophéō, “philosophize, love knowledge”)
• φῐλοσόφημᾰ n (phĭlosóphēmă, “a subject of philosophic inquiry; logic demonstration, principal”)
• φῐλοσοφητέον n (phĭlosophētéon, “must pursue wisdom”)
• φῐλοσοφητέος (phĭlosophētéos, “must pursue wisdom”)
• φῐλοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (phĭlosophĭ́ā, “love of knowledge, philosophy”)
• φῐλοσοφῐκός m (phĭlosophĭkós, “concerned with philosophy”)
• φιλοσοφοκλῆς (philosophoklês, “a lover of Sophocles”)
• φῐλοσοφομειρᾰκίσκος m (phĭlosophomeirăkískos, “young man of science”)
• φῐλόσοφος m (phĭlósophos, “lover of wisdom, philosopher”)
• χειρίσοφος (kheirísophos, “χειρόσοφος”)
• Χειρίσοφος m (Kheirísophos, “male name”)
• χειρόσοφος (kheirósophos, “skilled with the hands”)
• ψευδοσοφῐ́ᾱ f (pseudosophĭ́ā, “false wisdom”)
• ψευδοσοφῐστής m (pseudosophĭstḗs, “sham-sophist”)

Descendants

• → Coptic: ⲥⲟⲫⲟⲥ (sophos)
• Greek: σοφός (sofós)
• → Latin: sophos

Further reading

• “σοφός”, in Liddell & Scott (1940), A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “σοφός” in Bailly, Anatole (1935), Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001), A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• Strong, James (1979), “G4680”, in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910), English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited.
  • able idem, page 2.
  • acute idem, page 10.
  • adroit idem, page 13.
  • astute idem, page 48.
  • capable idem, page 111.
  • clever idem, page 137.
  • deep idem, page 203.
  • deft idem, page 206.
  • dexterous idem, page 221.
  • doctor idem, page 245.
  • erudite idem, page 281.
  • genius idem, page 357.
  • good idem, page 366.
  • intelligent idem, page 448.
  • learned idem, page 483.
  • philosopher idem, page 610.
  • proficient idem, page 653.
  • profound idem, page 653.
  • sagacious idem, page 731.
  • sage idem, page 731.
  • savant idem, page 735.
  • scholar idem, page 739.
  • shrewd idem, page 770.
  • skilful idem, page 780.
  • thinker idem, page 867.
  • wise idem, page 982.
  • wiseacre idem, page 982.

Greek

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σοφός (sophós).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /soˈfos/
• Hyphenation: σο‧φός

Adjective

σοφός • (sofós) m (feminine σοφή, neuter σοφό)

1. wise

Declension

Declension of σοφός

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	σοφός (sofós)	σοφή (sofí)	σοφό (sofó)		σοφοί (sofoí)	σοφές (sofés)	σοφά (sofá)
genitive	σοφού (sofoú)	σοφής (sofís)	σοφού (sofoú)		σοφών (sofón)	σοφών (sofón)	σοφών (sofón)
accusative	σοφό (sofó)	σοφή (sofí)	σοφό (sofó)		σοφούς (sofoús)	σοφές (sofés)	σοφά (sofá)
vocative	σοφέ (sofé)	σοφή (sofí)	σοφό (sofó)		σοφοί (sofoí)	σοφές (sofés)	σοφά (sofá)

Derivations:
Comparative: πιο + positive forms (e.g. πιο σοφός, etc.)
Relative superlative: definite article + πιο + positive forms (e.g. ο πιο σοφός, etc.)

Degrees of comparison by suffixation

comparative (?) singular plural masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter nominative σοφότερος (sofóteros) σοφότερη (sofóteri) σοφότερο (sofótero) σοφότεροι (sofóteroi) σοφότερες (sofóteres) σοφότερα (sofótera) genitive σοφότερου (sofóterou) σοφότερης (sofóteris) σοφότερου (sofóterou) σοφότερων (sofóteron) σοφότερων (sofóteron) σοφότερων (sofóteron) accusative σοφότερο (sofótero) σοφότερη (sofóteri) σοφότερο (sofótero) σοφότερους (sofóterous) σοφότερες (sofóteres) σοφότερα (sofótera) vocative σοφότερε (sofótere) σοφότερη (sofóteri) σοφότερο (sofótero) σοφότεροι (sofóteroi) σοφότερες (sofóteres) σοφότερα (sofótera) Derivations: relative superlative: ο + comparative forms: e.g. ο σοφότερος (o sofóteros), etc. absolute superlative (?) singular plural masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter nominative σοφότατος (sofótatos) σοφότατη (sofótati) σοφότατο (sofótato) σοφότατοι (sofótatoi) σοφότατες (sofótates) σοφότατα (sofótata) genitive σοφότατου (sofótatou) σοφότατης (sofótatis) σοφότατου (sofótatou) σοφότατων (sofótaton) σοφότατων (sofótaton) σοφότατων (sofótaton) accusative σοφότατο (sofótato) σοφότατη (sofótati) σοφότατο (sofótato) σοφότατους (sofótatous) σοφότατες (sofótates) σοφότατα (sofótata) vocative σοφότατε (sofótate) σοφότατη (sofótati) σοφότατο (sofótato) σοφότατοι (sofótatoi) σοφότατες (sofótates) σοφότατα (sofótata)

Noun

σοφός • (sofós) m (plural σοφοί)

1. a wise man, a sage

Declension

Declension of σοφός

	singular	plural
nominative	σοφός (sofós)	σοφοί (sofoí)
genitive	σοφού (sofoú)	σοφών (sofón)
accusative	σοφό (sofó)	σοφούς (sofoús)
vocative	σοφέ (sofé)	σοφοί (sofoí)

Related terms

• αμπελοφιλοσοφία f (ampelofilosofía, “inferior philosophy”)
• αμπελοφιλόσοφος m (ampelofilósofos, “self-important thinker”)
• άσοφα (ásofa, “unwisely”, adverb)
• άσοφος (ásofos, “unwise”)
• αφιλοσόφητος (afilosófitos, “not versed in philosophy”)
• γιατροσόφι n (giatrosófi, “folk medicine”)
  • ιατροσόφιο n (iatrosófio, “folk medicine”) (rare)
• δοκησισοφία f (dokisisofía, “conceit of wisdom”)
• δοκησίσοφος (dokisísofos, “wise in one's own conceit”)
• θεοσοφία f (theosofía, “theosophy”)
• θεοσοφισμός m (theosofismós, “theosophism”)
• θυμοσοφία f (thymosofía, “mother wit, practical wisdom”)
• θυμόσοφος (thymósofos, “with native wit”)
• ιατροφιλόσοφος m (iatrofilósofos, “physician of older times, occupied with philosophy”)
• κενόσοφος (kenósofos, “empty of meaningful thinking”)
• μεταφιλοσοφία f (metafilosofía, “metaphilosophy”)
• ξυλόσοφος (xylósofos, “would-be philosopher”) (jocular)
• πάνσοφα (pánsofa, “most wisely, omnisciently”, adverb)
• πανσοφία f (pansofía, “extreme wisdom, pansophy, omniscience, polymathy”)
• πάνσοφος (pánsofos, “most wise, pansoph, omniscient, polymath”)
• πανσόφως (pansófos, “most wisely, omnisciently”, adverb) (formal)
• σοφά (sofá, “wisely”, adverb)
• σοφία f (sofía, “wisdom”), Σοφία f (Sofía, “female name: wisdom”)
• σοφίζομαι (sofízomai, “devise, make out”)
• σόφισμα n (sófisma, “sophism”)
• σοφιστεία f (sofisteía, “sophistry”)
• σοφιστής m (sofistís, “sophist”)
• σοφιστικέ (sofistiké, “sophistiqué, sophisticated, refined”)
• σοφιστική f (sofistikí, “the art and teaching of sophists”)
• σοφιστικός (sofistikós, “of a sophist”)
• σοφόκλειος (sofókleios, “referring to the tragic poet Sophocles”)
• Σοφοκλής m (Sofoklís, “Sophocles”)
  • Σοφοκλῆς m (Sofoklís, “Sophocles”) (polytonic)
• σοφολογιότατος (sofologiótatos, “a wise scholar; pedantic”)
• σοφόν τὸ σαφές (sofón tó safés, “(adage) wise is the precise”)
• φιλοσοφία f (filosofía, “philosophy”) (and derivatives)
• ψευδόσοφος m (psevdósofos, “a fake wise man”)
• ψευδοφιλόσοφος m (psevdofilósofos, “pseudo-philosopher”)

Further reading

• σοφός, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language