noun / verb
sophisticate
suh-FIS-tih-kut/səˈfɪstɪkət/
Worldly sophistication in taste and manners.
The sophisticate studies the art exhibition with cultivated interest.
Etymology
The teacher or sophist connection acquired associations with quibbling and adulteration. From making something impure, the verb came to mean depriving it of simplicity; applied positively to people, that loss of simplicity became worldly refinement.
More examples
- The gallery opening attracts sophisticates with a taste for modern art.
- Years of travel have sophisticated her taste in food.
- His sophisticated manners make him comfortable in formal settings.
Forms
sophisticate · sophisticates · sophisticated · sophisticating
sophistication noun — Worldly refinement in taste, manners, or outlook.
Similar words
- cosmopolitan
- Emphasizes familiarity with different cultures rather than refined manners.
- connoisseur
- Emphasizes expert judgment in a field rather than social polish.
- refine
- Means to improve taste or manners without necessarily adding worldliness.