sophy

Etymology 1
From the, from the , from the ; compare.

Noun

 * 1)  wisdom, knowledge, learning
 * 2) * circa 1440: John Capgrave, The Life of St Katharine of Alexandria, verses 1,020–1,021 (published in 1893 by the Early English Text Society)
 * It had ben) beter to haue kepte the same sophie Whiche þat youre maysteris lerned you first in scole!
 * 1) * 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
 * 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.

Etymology 2
See.

Etymology 3
A back-formation from, originally plurale tantum, but later attested in singular use (see the 1678 quotation), itself an irregular Anglicisation of the , whence the 🇨🇬; compare sophy.

Noun

 * 1)  A wise man; a sage or wite.
 * 2) * 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)
 * 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.
 * 1) * 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)
 * 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.
 * 1) * ante 1635: Thomas Randolph, Poems: with The Muses Looking-Glasse; and Amyntas, page 3 (first manuscript dated 1638; 1875 republication)
 * You that nothing have Like Schollars but a Beard and Gowne, for me May pass for good grand Sophies
 * 1) * 1639, July 16th: Bishop Robert Sanderson, The Ninth Sermon; delivered in Berwick, July, 16, 1639, § 12 (1841 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.
 * 1) * 1645: 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
 * 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 Fiſh I am condemn’d to ſuffer what I wiſh.
 * 1) * 1678: Samuel Butler, Hudibras, third part, first canto, lines 1,423–1,424 (1709 republication)
 * Sir, (quo’ the Voice) y’ are no ſuch Sophy As you would have the World judge of ye.
 * 1) * 1688: William Bates, The Harmony of the Divine Attributes, chapter V, page 75 (This quotation is taken from the third edition because, although the work was first published in 1674, this extract first appeared in that later edition; meanwhile, the specific page reference and link refer to an 1815 republication.)
 * The apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 1. 23. that “Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness.” The grand Sophies of the world esteemed it absurd and unreasonable to believe, that he who was exposed to sufferings, could save others: but those who are called, discover that the doctrine of salvation, by the cross of Christ, which the world counted folly, ver. 24. is the great “wisdom of God,” and most convenient for his end.
 * 1) * 1688: William Bates, The Harmony of the Divine Attributes, chapter V, page 75 (This quotation is taken from the third edition because, although the work was first published in 1674, this extract first appeared in that later edition; meanwhile, the specific page reference and link refer to an 1815 republication.)
 * The apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 1. 23. that “Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness.” The grand Sophies of the world esteemed it absurd and unreasonable to believe, that he who was exposed to sufferings, could save others: but those who are called, discover that the doctrine of salvation, by the cross of Christ, which the world counted folly, ver. 24. is the great “wisdom of God,” and most convenient for his end.

Usage notes

 * This use of is occasionally preceded by the epithet  (as in the ante 1635, 1639, and 1688 quotations), influenced by the Persian title . Perhaps by contrast, some usage is sarcastic or mocking (as in the 1645 quotation).

Etymology 4
An irregular Anglicisation of ; compare sophy ³.

Noun

 * 1) * 1598: John Marston, The Scourge of Villanie, Three Books of Satyres, volume 2, chapter 5, page 194 (1966 republication)
 * Ha nge thy selfe Drusus, hast nor arms nor brain? Some Sophy say, The Gods sell all for paine.
 * Ha nge thy selfe Drusus, hast nor arms nor brain? Some Sophy say, The Gods sell all for paine.

Etymology 5
From the common termination of the class of words denoted (e.g.,, , etc.); compare the earlier and , and the later  and.

Noun

 * 1) Any one of the various fields of study whose names end in.
 * 2) * ante 1843: Robert Southey, Common-place Book, volume 4, page 578 (1851 publication)
 * The various sophy’s — cosmosophy, kerdosophy.