sophomore
/ˈsɑf.mɔɹ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.69 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
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.
American usage
adj
noun
A second-year undergraduate student in a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year secondary school or high school.
American usage
Example Sentences
- "The band’s sophomore album built upon the success of their debut release, catapulting them to megastardom."
- "“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."
- "I pledged for DKA my sophomore year and went through a rigorous process of weekly meetings and projects, each designed to build fraternal bonds and to teach values such as honesty, reliability and generosity."
- "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."
- "She was very mature for a sophomore and had several friends who were juniors or even seniors."
- "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."
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek σοφός (sophós) Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ίζω (-ízō) Ancient Greek σοφίζω (sophízō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μα (-ma) Ancient Greek σόφισμα (sóphisma)bor. English sophum, sophom Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English sophumerder. English sophomore 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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: σόφισμα
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsɑf.mɔɹ/
- British English: /ˈsɒf.ə.mɔː/
Usage
- American usage