σοφίζω

Forms

σοφίζω (sophízō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is a denominative verb from Ancient Greek σοφός (sophós, “skilled, wise”) with the suffix -ίζω (-ízō).^[1][2] Beekes notes that the middle σοφίζομαι (sophízomai) “practise an art, contrive” is the older form, found from Hesiod on, while the active “instruct” appears only in the Septuagint and Christian writers.^[2] The origin of the adjective itself is unexplained, and Beekes suggests a substrate word.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Hesiod's Works and Days has the perfect passive participle, a man “skilled” in seafaring.^[3][2][4]

Semantic evolution

In the Archaic and Classical period the middle prevails: Theognis uses it of a poet practising his art,^[3][5] while in Euripides, Demosthenes and Plato it often has a pejorative edge, to use subtleties or play clever tricks, and Plato also uses it of rationalising a myth.^[3][5] Herodotus and others use it transitively, to devise something cleverly.^[5] Polybius uses it of fraud for an end, and medical and philosophical writers of over-subtle reasoning.^[3]

The active “to make wise, instruct” belongs to the Septuagint and the New Testament, where the scriptures can make someone wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15); the passive there means to become wise.^[3][6][7] Its derivatives σοφιστής (sophistḗs) and σόφισμα (sóphisma) carry the same ambiguity between skill and trickery.^[2][1]

In medieval vernacular Greek the active still meant to teach or make wise, and the middle is common to this day.^[8]

Timeline

• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses the passive participle of skill in seafaring.^[3][2][9]
• 6th century BC – Theognis uses the middle of a poet practising his art.^[3][5][9]
• 5th century BC – Euripides uses the middle for clever subtleties, and Herodotus for devising something cleverly.^[3][5][9]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it for speculating and for rationalising a myth.^[3][5][9]
• 3rd–1st century BC – The Septuagint uses the active for making someone wise.^[3][10]
• 1st century AD – The Second Epistle to Timothy speaks of the scriptures that make one wise for salvation.^[3][6]
• 1100–1669 – Vernacular texts use the active for teaching and imparting wisdom.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. (active, Koine) To make wise, instruct.^[3][6]
2. (passive) To become or be skilled in something; to become wise.^[3]
3. (middle) To practise an art or skill.^[3][5]
4. (middle, usually pejorative) To use subtleties, play clever tricks, quibble.^[3][5]
5. (middle) To speculate or reason scientifically; to rationalise.^[3][5]
6. (middle, transitive) To devise something cleverly.^[5]

Word family

• ἀντισοφίζομαι (antisophízomai)
• διασοφίζομαι (diasophízomai)
• κατασοφίζομαι (katasophízomai)
• παρασοφίζομαι (parasophízomai)
• περισοφίζομαι (perisophízomai)
• ἀσόφιστος (asóphistos)
• ἐπισοφίζομαι (episophízomai)

Related words

• σόφισμα (sóphisma)
• σοφισμός (sophismós)
• σοφιστής (sophistḗs)
• σοφιστικός (sophistikós)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
6. ^ a b c Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
7. ^ United Bible Societies (2023), UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (revised Louw–Nida semantic domains), open-licence ed.
8. ^ a b Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
9. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
10. ^ Lust, Johan; Eynikel, Erik; Hauspie, Katrin (2003), Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint, rev. ed., Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft