Sophister

Soph"ist*er (?), v. t. To maintain by sophistry, or by a fallacious argument. [Obs.] obham.

Soph"ist*er (?), n. 1. A sophist. See Sophist. [Obs.] Hooker.

2. (Eng. Univ.) A student who is advanced beyond the first year of his residence.

☞ The entire course at the university consists of three years and one term, during which the students have the titles of first- year men, or freshmen; second-year men or junior sophs or sophisters; third-year men, or senior sophs or sophisters; and, in the last term, questionists, with reference to the approaching examination. In the older American colleges, the junior and senior classes were originally called, and in some of them are still called, junior sophisters and senior sophisters.