sophisticate

noun

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

verb

(transitive) (also reflexive) To make (oneself or someone) more sophisticated (“experienced in the ways of the world, that is, cosmopolitan or worldly-wise”); to cosmopolitanize.

(transitive) To make (something) more sophisticated (“complex, developed, or refined”); to develop, to refine.

(transitive) (also figuratively) 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.).

(transitive) To change the meaning of (something) in a deceptive or misleading way.

(transitive) To make (something) less innocent or natural; to artificialize.

(transitive) (archaic) To apply an artificial technique to (something).

(intransitive) To practise sophistry (“the (deliberate) making of arguments that seem plausible but are fallacious or misleading”).

adjective

Of a person: experienced in the ways of the world; cosmopolitan, worldly-wise.

Of art or other things: appealing to the tastes of an intellectual or sophisticated (sense 1.1) person; cerebral; also, cultured, elegant, refined.

Synonym of sophisticated (adjective).

(obsolete) Mixed with a foreign or inferior substance; not genuine or pure; adulterated, impure.

(obsolete) Of a thing: having its meaning changed in a deceptive or misleading way.

Roots

sophossoph- · Greek · wise

Synonyms for sophisticate

cosmopolitanadj cosmopoliten

Synonyms & related words for sophisticate

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Words related to sophisticate

Explore words related to sophisticate — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include sophistication, unsophistication, urbane, citified, chic, chicly, sophisticatedly, unsophisticated. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for sophisticate

Common synonyms for sophisticate include cosmopolitan, cosmopolite — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does sophisticate come from?

The word sophisticate breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root soph-, from Greek sophos (“wise”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.