Found 2 items, similar to sophist.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: Sophist Sophist n 1: any of a group of Greek philosophers and teachers in the 5th century BC who speculated on a wide range of subjects 2: someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious [syn: casuist]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Sophist Sophist \Soph"ist\, n. [F. sophiste, L. sophistes, fr. Gr. ?. See Sophism.] 1. One of a class of men who taught eloquence, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece; especially, one of those who, by their fallacious but plausible reasoning, puzzled inquirers after truth, weakened the faith of the people, and drew upon themselves general hatred and contempt. [1913 Webster] Many of the Sophists doubdtless card not for truth or morality, and merely professed to teach how to make the worse appear the better reason; but there scems no reason to hold that they were a special class, teaching special opinions; even Socrates and Plato were sometimes styled Sophists. --Liddell & Scott. [1913 Webster] 2. Hence, an impostor in argument; a captious or fallacious reasoner. [1913 Webster]