sophisticate

[suh-fis-ti-kit, -keyt, suh-fis-ti-keyt]

noun

1. a sophisticated person.

adjective

1. sophisticated.

verb (used with object)

sophisticated, sophisticating 

1. to make less natural, simple, or ingenuous; make worldly-wise.

2. to alter; pervert.

   to sophisticate a meaning beyond recognition.

verb (used without object)

sophisticated, sophisticating 

1. to use sophistry; quibble.

sophisticate

verb

1. (tr) to make (someone) less natural or innocent, as by education

2. to pervert or corrupt (an argument, etc) by sophistry

3. (tr) to make more complex or refined

4. rare,  to falsify (a text, etc) by alterations

noun

1. a sophisticated person

Other Word Forms

• sophisticator noun
• sophistication noun
• outsophisticate verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of sophisticate¹

1350–1400; Middle English (adj. and v.) < Medieval Latin sophisticātus (past participle of sophisticāre to tamper with, disguise, trick with words), equivalent to Latin sophistic ( us ) ( sophistic ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sophisticate¹

C14: from Medieval Latin sophisticāre, from Latin sophisticus sophistic

Example Sentences

Armani took away the restrictions and confinements of stiffer styles that went before him - making men feel sophisticated and women empowered in the workplace.

From BBC

Some analysts argue they are also not as sophisticated as the American ones, which have a technological head start going back to the the Cold War.

From BBC

Now more data from satellites and radar can be fed more quickly into more sophisticated models to produce a more detailed forecast.

From BBC

But eventually, creators got more sophisticated and professional, doing more elaborate stunts and hiring staffs to support their productions.

From Los Angeles Times

Nvidia's sophisticated chips have been an important part of the AI boom.

From BBC

Related Words

• corrupt 
• degrade 
• pollute