sophisticate

¹so·phis·ti·cate

transitive verb \sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt\

so·phis·ti·cat·edso·phis·ti·cat·ing

Definition of SOPHISTICATE

1

: to alter deceptively; especially : adulterate

2

: to deprive of genuineness, naturalness, or simplicity; especially : to deprive of naïveté and make worldly-wise : disillusion

3

: to make complicated or complex

Examples of SOPHISTICATE

1. <there's no need to sophisticate something that is beautiful in its simplicity>
2. <vanilla extract that has been sophisticated with corn syrup>

Origin of SOPHISTICATE

Middle English, from Medieval Latin sophisticatus, past participle of sophisticare, from Latin sophisticus sophistic, from Greek sophistikos, from sophistēs sophist

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to SOPHISTICATE

Synonyms

complex, complexify, embarrass, entangle, perplex, complicate

Antonyms

simplify, streamline

Related Words

develop, elaborate, expand; intensify, magnify; confound, confuse, mess (up), mix (up), muddle; snarl, tangle

Near Antonyms

abbreviate, cut, shorten; ease, facilitate; disentangle, straighten (out), unravel, untangle; oversimplify

Rhymes with SOPHISTICATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alienate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, assimilate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, elaborate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, subordinate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate

²so·phis·ti·cate

noun \-ti-kət, -tə-ˌkāt\

Definition of SOPHISTICATE

: a sophisticated person

Examples of SOPHISTICATE

1. <sophisticates laughing at people they thought of as hicks>

First Known Use of SOPHISTICATE

1923

Related to SOPHISTICATE

Synonyms

city slicker, cosmopolite, metropolitan, slicker, cosmopolitan

Antonyms

bumpkin, hick, provincial, rustic, yokel

Related Words

urbanite; worldling

so·phis·ti·cate

transitive verb \sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt\   (Medical Dictionary)

so·phis·ti·cat·ed; so·phis·ti·cat·ing

Medical Definition of SOPHISTICATE

: to make impure : adulterate <a sophisticated oil>