sophist

Learned borrowing from Latin sophista, also sophistes, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “pursuer of wisdom”), from σοφίζομαι (sophízomai, “to become wise”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒfɪst/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsoʊfɪst/

sophist (plural sophists)

1. One of a class of teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece.
2. (figuratively) A teacher who uses plausible but fallacious reasoning.
3. (figuratively, by extension) One who is captious, fallacious, or deceptive in argument.

   Synonym: logic chopper

4. (dated) Alternative form of sophister (“university student who has completed at least one year”)

• The meaning of "sophist" can vary depending on the time period to which one is referring. A sophist of the earliest period was a master in his art or craft who demonstrated (taught by example) his practical skill/learning in exchange for pay. Later sophists were providers of a well-rounded education intended to give pupils arete – "virtue, human excellence". By late antiquity, sophistḗs / sophistes tended to denote exclusively a skilled public speaker and/or teacher of rhetoric.[1][2]