sophomore

English

Etymology

From earlier sophumer, from the obsolete sophom, sophum (“sophism or dialectical exercise”), from Ancient Greek σόφισμα (sóphisma). Likely influenced by Ancient Greek σοφός (sophós, “wise”) + μωρός (mōrós, “fool”). Compare oxymoron (literally “sharp-dull”), a similar contradiction.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒfəmɔː/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑfmɔɹ/, /ˈsɒfmɔɹ/, /ˈsɔfmɔɹ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒf(ə)mɔɹ/

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

Adjective

sophomore (not comparable)

1. (US) The second in a series, especially, the second of an artist’s albums or the second of four years in a high school (tenth grade) or university.

   Coordinate term: debut

   The band’s sophomore album built upon the success of their debut release, catapulting them to megastardom.

   • 2016 August 21, Joe Coscarelli, “Frank Ocean Finally Delivers His Album, and a Pop-Up Surprise”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     “Blonde,” which is spelled “Blond” on the album cover and “Blonde” on Apple and elsewhere, hews more closely to what was expected from a sophomore release by one of the most lauded and enigmatic young singers in pop music.

   • 2021 March 5, Jason Bailey, “Watch These 13 Titles on Netflix Before They Leave This Month”, in The New York Times‎^[2], →ISSN:

     Spike Lee’s sophomore film, after his micro-budgeted and critically acclaimed debut, “She’s Gotta Have It,” was this big, bold ensemble musical set on the campus of a Historically Black College over a busy homecoming weekend.

2. Sophomoric.

Translations

second in a series

• Afrikaans: tweede (af), opvolg-
• Bulgarian: втори (bg) (vtori), от втори курс (ot vtori kurs)
• Dutch: tweede (nl), opvolg- (nl)
• Finnish: toinen (fi)
• Galician: de segundo ano
• German: zweiter (de), Nachfolger- (de)
• Italian: fagiolo (it) m
• Portuguese: secundanista, secundarista (pt) m or f
• Russian: второй (ru) (vtoroj)
• Swedish: andra (sv), tvåa (sv)

Noun

sophomore (plural sophomores)

1. (US, Philippines) A second-year undergraduate student in a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year secondary school or high school.

   She was very mature for a sophomore and had several friends who were juniors or even seniors.

2. (US, horse-racing) A three-year-old horse.

   The filly had looked promising as a sophomore, but concerns over her health had prompted the owner to pull her from the season’s early races.

Derived terms

• sophomoric
• sophomore slump

Related terms

• moron
• morosoph
• oxymoron
• sophy, -sophy

Translations

second-year student

• Bulgarian: второку́рсник m (vtorokúrsnik)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 大二 (zh) (dà'èr), 大二生 (dà'èrshēng)

• Dutch: tweedejaars (nl) c
• Estonian: teise kursuse tudeng
• Finnish: toisen vuoden opiskelija
• French: étudiant de deuxième année m, étudiante de deuxième année f
• German: Student im zweiten Jahr m; Drittsemester m; Viertsemester m
• Hungarian: másodéves (hu)
• Italian: fagiolo (it) m, ginnasiale (it)
• Japanese: 二年生 (ja) (にねんせい, ninensei)
• Macedonian: сафомор m (safomor)
• Russian: второку́рсник (ru) m (vtorokúrsnik), второку́рсница (ru) f (vtorokúrsnica)
• Swedish: andra års elev
• Tagalog: duhantaunan

three year old horse

Further reading

• sophomore on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• homospore, osmophore