sophisticate

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To make (something) less innocent or natural; to artificialize.
2. (transitive) To make (something) more sophisticated (“complex, developed, or refined”); to develop, to refine.
3. (also, reflexive, transitive) To make (oneself or someone) more sophisticated (“experienced in the ways of the world, that is, cosmopolitan or worldly-wise”); to cosmopolitanize.
4. (also, figuratively, transitive) To alter and make impure (something) by mixing it with some foreign or inferior substance, especially with an intention to deceive; to adulterate; (generally) to corrupt or deceive (someone, their thinking, etc.).
5. (transitive) To change the meaning of (something) in a deceptive or misleading way.
6. (archaic, transitive) To apply an artificial technique to (something).
7. (intransitive) To practise sophistry (“the (deliberate) making of arguments that seem plausible but are fallacious or misleading”).

Adj

1. Synonym of sophisticated (adjective).
2. Synonym of sophisticated (adjective).
3. (obsolete) Synonym of sophisticated (adjective).
4. (obsolete) Synonym of sophisticated (adjective).

Noun

A person who is sophisticated (“experienced in the ways of the world, that is, cosmopolitan or worldly-wise”), or who has sophisticated tastes.

Synonyms

pervert

twist

doctor up

doctor

🧑‍⚕️

convolute

twist around

falsify

civilize

man of the world

adulterate

concoct

confect

confuse

cook

🧑‍🍳

derange

disarrange

disarray

disorganize

disrupt

dissolve

educate

enlighten

flummox

fold

fox

🦊

fuddle

gallant

garble

heterodyne

humanize

immingle

immix

improve

instruct

intermix

jumble

meld

mingle

misinterpret

mislead

mix

mix in

mix up

motley

obfuscate

obscure

paddle

polish

🇵🇱

randomise

ravel

Translations

sofisticar

ukalâ

tordre

çokbilmiş

karmaşık

yapmacık

vervalsen

adulterare

görmüş geçirmiş

bilmiş

sofisticar

ileri

kültürlü

σοφιστεύω

πονηρεύω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/səˈfɪstɪkeɪt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sophisticaten

Cognate with French: sophistiquer

Cognate with Italian: sofisticare

Cognate with Spanish: sofisticar

Inherited from Middle English: sophisticat

In summary

From Middle English sophisticaten (“to mix (something) with a foreign or inferior substance, adulterate”), from Medieval Latin sophisticātus, the perfect passive participle of sophisticāre (“to disguise; to tamper with; to trick using words”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more). Sophisticāre is derived from Latin sophisticus (“pertaining to the ancient Sophists, sophistic; pertaining to sophistry, sophistic, sophistical”) (from Ancient Greek σοφιστικός (sophistikós), from σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “master of a craft; prudent or wise person; philosopher; teacher, tutor; (derogatory) one who profits from false wisdom, cheat, swindler”), from σοφός (sophós, “able, skilful; clever, intelligent, prudent, wise; cunning”), further etymology unknown) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix).
Cognates
* French sophistiquer
* Italian sofisticare
* Spanish sofisticar