# sophomore

Pronunciation: US say "SOF-mor" /ˈsɑfmɔɹ/; UK say "SOF-uh-maw" /ˈsɒfəmɔː/

## Noun

1. A second-year student at a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year high school. *(Philippines, US)*
   - Simple: A student in the second year of high school or college.
   - _As a sophomore, she finally declared her major in biology._
   - _The coach is counting on several sophomores to anchor the defense this season._
4. In horse racing, a horse that is three years old. *(US)*
   - Simple: A horse that is three years old.
   - _The filly is one of the most promising sophomores on the East Coast circuit._
   - _A lightly raced sophomore, the colt surprised the handicappers by winning at long odds._

## Adjective

2. Being the second in a series, especially an artist's second album or the second of four years in high school (tenth grade) or college. *(US)*
   - Simple: Second in a series, like a singer's second album or the second year of high school.
   - _Critics praised the director's sophomore film as bolder than her debut._
   - _During his sophomore year he switched his focus from chemistry to music._
3. Immature and overconfident in a way that suggests a little learning; sophomoric.
   - Simple: Childish and too sure of yourself, like someone who knows a little but thinks they know everything.
   - _The senator dismissed the op-ed as sophomore posturing dressed up in big words._
   - _Despite his sophomore behavior at parties, he was surprisingly disciplined at work._

## Origin

'Sophomore' comes from an earlier form 'sophumer', built on the obsolete 'sophom'/'sophum' meaning a sophism or dialectical exercise, from Ancient Greek σόφισμα (sóphisma). It was likely influenced by Ancient Greek σοφός (sophós, 'wise') and μωρός (mōrós, 'fool'), a contradiction similar to the word 'oxymoron' (literally 'sharp-dull').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/sophomore (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).