σοφός Ancient Greek · revision 15558

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Before the 6th century BC, Hesiod}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /so.pʰós/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /soˈɸos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /soˈfos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''σοφός''' (sophós) ''m'' (feminine σοφή, neuter σοφόν); first/second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unexplained.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) Indo-European explanations have failed.^(Frisk 1960) If [[m|grc|Σίσυφος|tr=Sī́suphos]], [[m|grc|σάφα|tr=sápha|t=clearly]] and [[m|grc|ψέφει|tr=pséphei]] are related, it would be a substrate word, perhaps Pre-Greek; the Πάπυρος dictionary does not find these links satisfactory.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first recorded use is in a fragment of Hesiod.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) The comic epic ''Margites'' uses it of skill even in digging and ditching.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense was skilled in a craft or art: Pindar calls a charioteer σοφός, Archilochus and Aeschylus a helmsman, and tragedy a seer; it was used above all of poets and musicians (Pindar, Euripides, Aristophanes).^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) From Theognis, Simonides and Pindar on it also meant wise, sensible, and in a bad sense clever, shrewd.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Its derivatives carried both senses: [[σοφία|tr=sophíā]] “skill, wisdom”, [[σοφίζομαι|tr=sophízomai]] “to devise”, [[σόφισμα|tr=sóphisma]] “clever trick” and [[σοφιστής|tr=sophistḗs]] “expert, sophist”, and the compound [[φιλόσοφος|tr=philósophos]] “lover of wisdom” (Heraclitus).^(Beekes 2010)^(Πάπυρος) It is the first part of the name [[Σοφοκλῆς|tr=Sophoklês]].^(Beekes 2010) Modern Greek ''σοφός'' is learned; its original sense was “skilled in a craft”.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before the 6th century BC – A Hesiodic fragment uses it.^(Beekes 2010)^(DGE)

+ * 7th–6th century BC – The ''Margites'' uses it for skill in a craft.^(LSJ 1940)^(GLAUx)

+ * 6th century BC – Theognis uses it for wise.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it of poets and charioteers.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * Modern Greek – ''σοφός'' means wise.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Skilled in a craft or art, [[m|en|clever]], expert.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # Of poets and musicians: skilful.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # [[m|en|wise|alt=Wise]], sensible, prudent.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Cunning, shrewd.^(Wiktionary)^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀκρόσοφος|tr=akrósophos]]

+ * [[ἄσοφος|tr=ásophos]]

+ * [[δοκησίσοφος|tr=dokēsísophos]]

+ * [[δοξόσοφος|tr=doxósophos]]

+ * [[πάνσοφος|tr=pánsophos]]

+ * [[σοφία|tr=sophíā]]

+ * [[ὑπέρσοφος|tr=hupérsophos]]

+ * [[φιλόσοφος|tr=philósophos]]

+ * [[ἀγροικόσοφος|tr=agroikósophos]]

+ * [[διάσοφος|tr=diásophos]]

+ * [[ἐθελοφιλόσοφος|tr=ethelophilósophos]]

+ * [[ἔνσοφος|tr=énsophos]]

+ * [[ἐπίσσοφος|tr=epíssophos]]

+ * [[θεόσοφος|tr=theósophos]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ἀποσοφόομαι|tr=aposophóomai]]

+ * [[ἀσοφία|tr=asophía]]

+ * [[ἀσόφιστος|tr=asóphistos]]

+ * [[αὐτοσοφία|tr=autosophíā]]

+ * [[δειπνοσοφιστής|tr=deipnosophistḗs]]

+ * [[διασοφίζομαι|tr=diasophízomai]]

+ * [[δοξοσοφία|tr=doxosophíā]]

+ * [[ἐνσοφιστεύω|tr=ensophisteúō]]

+ * [[ἐπισοφίζομαι|tr=episophízomai]]

+ * [[θεοσοφία|tr=theosophíā]]

+ * [[en|philosophy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}