sophisticate
Americannoun
adjective
verb (used with object)
-
to make less natural, simple, or ingenuous; make worldly-wise.
-
to alter; pervert.
to sophisticate a meaning beyond recognition.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to make (someone) less natural or innocent, as by education
-
to pervert or corrupt (an argument, etc) by sophistry
-
(tr) to make more complex or refined
-
rare to falsify (a text, etc) by alterations
noun
Other Word Forms
- outsophisticate verb (used with object)
- sophistication noun
- sophisticator noun
Etymology
Origin of sophisticate
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This sophisticated form of Raman spectroscopy uses a laser to detect the unique chemical fingerprints of molecules within tissue.
From Science Daily
"He was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems."
From BBC
Her yellow, floor-length gown was in keeping with her classic sophisticated and elegant red carpet style.
From BBC
The more sophisticated look signals she is a figure to be respected despite her age.
The sets are not sophisticated, the actors are mostly novices, and the AI-driven scenes can feel uncanny under scrutiny.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
