sophy meaning (obsolete): definition, etymology and quotations

sophy

noun

UK /ˈsɒfi/

Etymology From the Middle English sophie, from the Latin sophia, from the Ancient Greek σοφῐ́ᾱ (sophĭ́ā, “high knowledge”: “learning”, “wisdom”); compare Sophia.

Obsolete wisdom, knowledge, learning

It had ben) beter to haue kepte the same sophiecirca 1440: John Capgrave, The Life of St Katharine of Alexandria, verses 1,020–1,021 (published in 1893 by the Early English Text Society)
Turn thee to mee, in caſe Manhod ther bee ſo much left in thy hert: Coom fight with mee: that on my helmet wear Apolloes laurel, both for learnings laude, And eke for Martiall prayſe: that, in my ſhield, The ſeuenfold ſophie of Minerue contein: A match, more meet, ſir king, than any here.ante 1557: Nicolas Grimald, “The death of Zoroas, an Egiptian Aſtronomer, in firſt fight, that Alexander had with the Perſians” in Songes and Sonnettes, page 121

1 more example

Who knoweth not the difference betweene…semblance, and assurance; docosophy, and sophy?1588, John Harvey, A Discoursive Probleme Concerning Prophesies, page 10:

sophy

noun

Etymology A back-formation from sophies, originally plurale tantum, but later attested in singular use (see the 1678 quotation), itself an irregular Anglicisation of the Latin sophī, whence the English sophi; compare sophy.

Obsolete A wise man; a sage.

Yet notwithstanding some men in sundrie nations have mounted above the common rate, and indevored to cherish and advaunce the said Insights, and drawen some small sparkes of truth and wisedome out of them, as out of some little fire raked up under a great heape of ashes; the which they have afterward taught unto others, and for so doing have bene called Sophies and Philosophers, that is to say, Wise men and lovers of wisedome.1587: Philippe de Mornay (author), Sir Philip Sidney (translator), and Arthur Golding (translator), A Woorke concerning the trewneſſe of the Christian Religion, preface, page viii (2007 compilation republication)
These Sophies finde with the Babe Iesus, onely Marie.1596, Henoch Clapham, A Briefe of the Bibles Historie Drawne into English Poesy, volume 2, page 127:

4 more examples

The Angels caroll’d loud their song of peace, The cursed oracles were strucken dumb, To see their Shepherd, the poor shepherds press, To see their King, the kingly sophies come, And them to guide unto his Master’s home, A star comes dancing up the orient, That springs for joy over the starry tent. Where gold to make their prince a crown they all present.1610: Giles Fletcher the Younger, Christs Victorie, and Triumph in Heaven, and Earth, over, and after Death, first canto: “Christs Victorie in Heaven”, stanza 82 (1838 republication)
You that nothing have Like Schollars but a Beard and Gowne, for me May pass for good grand Sophies […]ante 1635: Thomas Randolph, Poems: with The Muses Looking-Glasse; and Amyntas, page 3 (first manuscript dated 1638; 1875 republication)
It is no thanks then to us, that very children among us do believe and confess these high mysterious points, whereof Plato, and Aristotle, and all the other grand sophies among them were ignorant; since we owe our whole knowledge herein, not to our own natural sagacity or industry, wherein they were beyond most of us, but to divine and supernatural revelation.1639, July 16th: Bishop Robert Sanderson, The Ninth Sermon; delivered in Berwick, July, 16, 1639, § 12 (1841 republication)
I, while I wiſht to bee Retir’d, Into the private room was turn’d; As if their wiſdoms had conſpir’d A Salamander ſhould bee burn’d: And like thoſe Sophies who would drown a Fiſh1645: James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, “The Requiem or Libertie of an Impriſoned Royaliſt”, verse 3; in The Great Aſſiſes Holden in Parnaſſus by Apollo and His Aſſeſſovrs, pages 83–84

sophy

noun

UK /ˈsɒfɪ/

Etymology From the common termination of the class of words denoted (e.g., philosophy, theosophy, etc.); compare the earlier ology and ism, and the later logy and osophy.

Any one of the various fields of study whose names end in -sophy.

The various sophy’s — cosmosophy, kerdosophy.ante 1843: Robert Southey, Common-place Book, volume 4, page 578 (1851 publication)
Francis Moyen was, as here described, an interesting character in his way; a sparkling, talented, thoughtless Parisian, full of adventure and, with his beloved violin in his baggage, ever on the wing. Voltaire and Boileau were winning the world in those days. Moyen, like every young man of the period, had read them, could quote them, and would sometimes utter himself in their particular sophy; half scoffing, and half religious, and half philosophical by turns, a thorough Frenchman, carelessly throwing off his first thoughts whatever they were and whoever was near.1869, Contemporary Review, volume 11, page 456:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.