σοφίζω
Ancient Greek
FWOTD – 4 December 2022
Etymology
From σοφός (sophós, “skilled, wise”) + -ίζω (-ízō).
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /so.pʰíz.dɔː/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /soˈpʰi.zo/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /soˈɸi.zo/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /soˈfi.zo/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /soˈfi.zo/
Verb
σοφίζω • (sophízō)
- to make wise, instruct
- New Testament, Second Epistle to Timothy 3:15:
- τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως
- tà dunámená se sophísai eis sōtērían dià písteōs
- which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
- τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως
- (passive voice) to become wise, clever, skilled
- 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Works and Days 649:
- οὔτε τι ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος οὔτε τι νηῶν
- oúte ti nautilíēs sesophisménos oúte ti nēôn
- though I have no skill in sea-faring nor in ships
- οὔτε τι ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος οὔτε τι νηῶν
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cynegeticus 13.6:
- ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ὀνόμασι σοφίζονται, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς νοήμασιν
- hóti en toîs onómasi sophízontai, ouk en toîs noḗmasin
- because they profess wisdom of words and not of thoughts
- ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ὀνόμασι σοφίζονται, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς νοήμασιν
- (middle voice) to teach oneself, learn
- (middle voice) to practice an art; to be subtle; to speculate
- 405 BCE, Euripides, The Bacchae 200:
- οὐδὲν σοφιζόμεσθα τοῖσι δαίμοσιν.
- oudèn sophizómestha toîsi daímosin.
- We use no subtleties in dealing with the gods.
- οὐδὲν σοφιζόμεσθα τοῖσι δαίμοσιν.
- 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, The Statesman 299b:
- καὶ σοφιζόμενος ὁτιοῦν περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα
- kaì sophizómenos hotioûn perì tà toiaûta
- or to be indulging in any speculation whatsoever on such matters
- καὶ σοφιζόμενος ὁτιοῦν περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα
- (with accusative) to devise skillfully
- 409 BCE, Sophocles, Philoctetes 77:
- ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ σοφισθῆναι
- all’ autò toûto deî sophisthênai
- this is the very thing one must gain by craft
- ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ σοφισθῆναι
- (with accusative of person) to deceive
- 75 CE, Josephus, The Jewish War 4.2.3:
- τοιούτοις ἐσοφίζετο τὸν Τίτον
- toioútois esophízeto tòn Títon
- Thus did this man put a trick upon Titus
- τοιούτοις ἐσοφίζετο τὸν Τίτον
Inflection
Present: σοφῐ́ζω, σοφῐ́ζομαι
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | σοφῐ́ζω | σοφῐ́ζεις | σοφῐ́ζει | σοφῐ́ζετον | σοφῐ́ζετον | σοφῐ́ζομεν | σοφῐ́ζετε | σοφῐ́ζουσῐ(ν) | ||||
| subjunctive | σοφῐ́ζω | σοφῐ́ζῃς | σοφῐ́ζῃ | σοφῐ́ζητον | σοφῐ́ζητον | σοφῐ́ζωμεν | σοφῐ́ζητε | σοφῐ́ζωσῐ(ν) | |||||
| optative | σοφῐ́ζοιμῐ | σοφῐ́ζοις | σοφῐ́ζοι | σοφῐ́ζοιτον | σοφῐζοίτην | σοφῐ́ζοιμεν | σοφῐ́ζοιτε | σοφῐ́ζοιεν | |||||
| imperative | σόφῐζε | σοφῐζέτω | σοφῐ́ζετον | σοφῐζέτων | σοφῐ́ζετε | σοφῐζόντων | |||||||
| middle/ passive |
indicative | σοφῐ́ζομαι | σοφῐ́ζῃ, σοφῐ́ζει |
σοφῐ́ζεται | σοφῐ́ζεσθον | σοφῐ́ζεσθον | σοφῐζόμεθᾰ | σοφῐ́ζεσθε | σοφῐ́ζονται | ||||
| subjunctive | σοφῐ́ζωμαι | σοφῐ́ζῃ | σοφῐ́ζηται | σοφῐ́ζησθον | σοφῐ́ζησθον | σοφῐζώμεθᾰ | σοφῐ́ζησθε | σοφῐ́ζωνται | |||||
| optative | σοφῐζοίμην | σοφῐ́ζοιο | σοφῐ́ζοιτο | σοφῐ́ζοισθον | σοφῐζοίσθην | σοφῐζοίμεθᾰ | σοφῐ́ζοισθε | σοφῐ́ζοιντο | |||||
| imperative | σοφῐ́ζου | σοφῐζέσθω | σοφῐ́ζεσθον | σοφῐζέσθων | σοφῐ́ζεσθε | σοφῐζέσθων | |||||||
| active | middle/passive | ||||||||||||
| infinitive | σοφῐ́ζειν | σοφῐ́ζεσθαι | |||||||||||
| participle | m | σοφῐ́ζων | σοφῐζόμενος | ||||||||||
| f | σοφῐ́ζουσᾰ | σοφῐζομένη | |||||||||||
| n | σοφῐ́ζον | σοφῐζόμενον | |||||||||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Imperfect: ἐσόφῐζον, ἐσοφῐζόμην
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | ἐσόφῐζον | ἐσόφῐζες | ἐσόφῐζε(ν) | ἐσοφῐ́ζετον | ἐσοφῐζέτην | ἐσοφῐ́ζομεν | ἐσοφῐ́ζετε | ἐσόφῐζον | ||||
| middle/ passive |
indicative | ἐσοφῐζόμην | ἐσοφῐ́ζου | ἐσοφῐ́ζετο | ἐσοφῐ́ζεσθον | ἐσοφῐζέσθην | ἐσοφῐζόμεθᾰ | ἐσοφῐ́ζεσθε | ἐσοφῐ́ζοντο | ||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Future: σοφῐέω, σοφῐέομαι, σοφῐσθήσομαι (Uncontracted)
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | σοφῐέω | σοφῐέεις | σοφῐέει | σοφῐέετον | σοφῐέετον | σοφῐέομεν | σοφῐέετε | σοφῐέουσῐ(ν) | ||||
| optative | σοφῐέοιμῐ | σοφῐέοις | σοφῐέοι | σοφῐέοιτον | σοφῐεοίτην | σοφῐέοιμεν | σοφῐέοιτε | σοφῐέοιεν | |||||
| middle | indicative | σοφῐέομαι | σοφῐέῃ, σοφῐέει |
σοφῐέεται | σοφῐέεσθον | σοφῐέεσθον | σοφῐεόμεθᾰ | σοφῐέεσθε | σοφῐέονται | ||||
| optative | σοφῐεοίμην | σοφῐέοιο | σοφῐέοιτο | σοφῐέοισθον | σοφῐεοίσθην | σοφῐεοίμεθᾰ | σοφῐέοισθε | σοφῐέοιντο | |||||
| passive | indicative | σοφῐσθήσομαι | σοφῐσθήσῃ | σοφῐσθήσεται | σοφῐσθήσεσθον | σοφῐσθήσεσθον | σοφῐσθησόμεθᾰ | σοφῐσθήσεσθε | σοφῐσθήσονται | ||||
| optative | σοφῐσθησοίμην | σοφῐσθήσοιο | σοφῐσθήσοιτο | σοφῐσθήσοισθον | σοφῐσθησοίσθην | σοφῐσθησοίμεθᾰ | σοφῐσθήσοισθε | σοφῐσθήσοιντο | |||||
| active | middle | passive | |||||||||||
| infinitive | σοφῐέειν | σοφῐέεσθαι | σοφῐσθήσεσθαι | ||||||||||
| participle | m | σοφῐέων | σοφῐεόμενος | σοφῐσθησόμενος | |||||||||
| f | σοφῐέουσᾰ | σοφῐεομένη | σοφῐσθησομένη | ||||||||||
| n | σοφῐέον | σοφῐεόμενον | σοφῐσθησόμενον | ||||||||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Future: σοφῐῶ, σοφῐοῦμαι, σοφῐσθήσομαι (Contracted)
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | σοφῐῶ | σοφῐεῖς | σοφῐεῖ | σοφῐεῖτον | σοφῐεῖτον | σοφῐοῦμεν | σοφῐεῖτε | σοφῐοῦσῐ(ν) | ||||
| optative | σοφῐοίην, σοφῐοῖμῐ |
σοφῐοίης, σοφῐοῖς |
σοφῐοίη, σοφῐοῖ |
σοφῐοῖτον, σοφῐοίητον |
σοφῐοίτην, σοφῐοιήτην |
σοφῐοῖμεν, σοφῐοίημεν |
σοφῐοῖτε, σοφῐοίητε |
σοφῐοῖεν, σοφῐοίησᾰν | |||||
| middle | indicative | σοφῐοῦμαι | σοφῐῇ | σοφῐεῖται | σοφῐεῖσθον | σοφῐεῖσθον | σοφῐούμεθᾰ | σοφῐεῖσθε | σοφῐοῦνται | ||||
| optative | σοφῐοίμην | σοφῐοῖο | σοφῐοῖτο | σοφῐοῖσθον | σοφῐοίσθην | σοφῐοίμεθᾰ | σοφῐοῖσθε | σοφῐοῖντο | |||||
| passive | indicative | σοφῐσθήσομαι | σοφῐσθήσῃ | σοφῐσθήσεται | σοφῐσθήσεσθον | σοφῐσθήσεσθον | σοφῐσθησόμεθᾰ | σοφῐσθήσεσθε | σοφῐσθήσονται | ||||
| optative | σοφῐσθησοίμην | σοφῐσθήσοιο | σοφῐσθήσοιτο | σοφῐσθήσοισθον | σοφῐσθησοίσθην | σοφῐσθησοίμεθᾰ | σοφῐσθήσοισθε | σοφῐσθήσοιντο | |||||
| active | middle | passive | |||||||||||
| infinitive | σοφῐεῖν | σοφῐεῖσθαι | σοφῐσθήσεσθαι | ||||||||||
| participle | m | σοφῐῶν | σοφῐούμενος | σοφῐσθησόμενος | |||||||||
| f | σοφῐοῦσᾰ | σοφῐουμένη | σοφῐσθησομένη | ||||||||||
| n | σοφῐοῦν | σοφῐούμενον | σοφῐσθησόμενον | ||||||||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Aorist: ἐσόφῐσᾰ, ἐσοφῐσᾰ́μην, ἐσοφῐ́σθην
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | ἐσόφῐσᾰ | ἐσόφῐσᾰς | ἐσόφῐσε(ν) | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰτον | ἐσοφῐσᾰ́την | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰμεν | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰτε | ἐσόφῐσᾰν | ||||
| subjunctive | σοφῐ́σω | σοφῐ́σῃς | σοφῐ́σῃ | σοφῐ́σητον | σοφῐ́σητον | σοφῐ́σωμεν | σοφῐ́σητε | σοφῐ́σωσῐ(ν) | |||||
| optative | σοφῐ́σαιμῐ | σοφῐ́σειᾰς, σοφῐ́σαις |
σοφῐ́σειε(ν), σοφῐ́σαι |
σοφῐ́σαιτον | σοφῐσαίτην | σοφῐ́σαιμεν | σοφῐ́σαιτε | σοφῐ́σειᾰν, σοφῐ́σαιεν | |||||
| imperative | σόφῐσον | σοφῐσᾰ́τω | σοφῐ́σᾰτον | σοφῐσᾰ́των | σοφῐ́σᾰτε | σοφῐσᾰ́ντων | |||||||
| middle | indicative | ἐσοφῐσᾰ́μην | ἐσοφῐ́σω | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰτο | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰσθον | ἐσοφῐσᾰ́σθην | ἐσοφῐσᾰ́μεθᾰ | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰσθε | ἐσοφῐ́σᾰντο | ||||
| subjunctive | σοφῐ́σωμαι | σοφῐ́σῃ | σοφῐ́σηται | σοφῐ́σησθον | σοφῐ́σησθον | σοφῐσώμεθᾰ | σοφῐ́σησθε | σοφῐ́σωνται | |||||
| optative | σοφῐσαίμην | σοφῐ́σαιο | σοφῐ́σαιτο | σοφῐ́σαισθον | σοφῐσαίσθην | σοφῐσαίμεθᾰ | σοφῐ́σαισθε | σοφῐ́σαιντο | |||||
| imperative | σόφῐσαι | σοφῐσᾰ́σθω | σοφῐ́σᾰσθον | σοφῐσᾰ́σθων | σοφῐ́σᾰσθε | σοφῐσᾰ́σθων | |||||||
| passive | indicative | ἐσοφῐ́σθην | ἐσοφῐ́σθης | ἐσοφῐ́σθη | ἐσοφῐ́σθητον | ἐσοφῐσθήτην | ἐσοφῐ́σθημεν | ἐσοφῐ́σθητε | ἐσοφῐ́σθησᾰν | ||||
| subjunctive | σοφῐσθῶ | σοφῐσθῇς | σοφῐσθῇ | σοφῐσθῆτον | σοφῐσθῆτον | σοφῐσθῶμεν | σοφῐσθῆτε | σοφῐσθῶσῐ(ν) | |||||
| optative | σοφῐσθείην | σοφῐσθείης | σοφῐσθείη | σοφῐσθεῖτον, σοφῐσθείητον |
σοφῐσθείτην, σοφῐσθειήτην |
σοφῐσθεῖμεν, σοφῐσθείημεν |
σοφῐσθεῖτε, σοφῐσθείητε |
σοφῐσθεῖεν, σοφῐσθείησᾰν | |||||
| imperative | σοφῐ́σθητῐ | σοφῐσθήτω | σοφῐ́σθητον | σοφῐσθήτων | σοφῐ́σθητε | σοφῐσθέντων | |||||||
| active | middle | passive | |||||||||||
| infinitive | σοφῐ́σαι | σοφῐ́σᾰσθαι | σοφῐσθῆναι | ||||||||||
| participle | m | σοφῐ́σᾱς | σοφῐσᾰ́μενος | σοφῐσθείς | |||||||||
| f | σοφῐ́σᾱσᾰ | σοφῐσᾰμένη | σοφῐσθεῖσᾰ | ||||||||||
| n | σοφῐ́σᾰν | σοφῐσᾰ́μενον | σοφῐσθέν | ||||||||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Perfect: σεσόφῐκᾰ, σεσόφῐσμαι
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | σεσόφῐκᾰ | σεσόφῐκᾰς | σεσόφῐκε(ν) | σεσοφῐ́κᾰτον | σεσοφῐ́κᾰτον | σεσοφῐ́κᾰμεν | σεσοφῐ́κᾰτε | σεσοφῐ́κᾱσῐ(ν) | ||||
| subjunctive | σεσοφῐ́κω | σεσοφῐ́κῃς | σεσοφῐ́κῃ | σεσοφῐ́κητον | σεσοφῐ́κητον | σεσοφῐ́κωμεν | σεσοφῐ́κητε | σεσοφῐ́κωσῐ(ν) | |||||
| optative | σεσοφῐ́κοιμῐ, σεσοφῐκοίην |
σεσοφῐ́κοις, σεσοφῐκοίης |
σεσοφῐ́κοι, σεσοφῐκοίη |
σεσοφῐ́κοιτον | σεσοφῐκοίτην | σεσοφῐ́κοιμεν | σεσοφῐ́κοιτε | σεσοφῐ́κοιεν | |||||
| imperative | σεσόφῐκε | σεσοφῐκέτω | σεσοφῐ́κετον | σεσοφῐκέτων | σεσοφῐ́κετε | σεσοφῐκόντων | |||||||
| middle/ passive |
indicative | σεσόφῐσμαι | σεσόφῐσαι | σεσόφῐσται | σεσόφῐσθον | σεσόφῐσθον | σεσοφῐ́σμεθᾰ | σεσόφῐσθε | σεσοφῐ́σᾰται | ||||
| subjunctive | σεσοφῐσμένος ὦ | σεσοφῐσμένος ᾖς | σεσοφῐσμένος ᾖ | σεσοφῐσμένω ἦτον | σεσοφῐσμένω ἦτον | σεσοφῐσμένοι ὦμεν | σεσοφῐσμένοι ἦτε | σεσοφῐσμένοι ὦσῐ(ν) | |||||
| optative | σεσοφῐσμένος εἴην | σεσοφῐσμένος εἴης | σεσοφῐσμένος εἴη | σεσοφῐσμένω εἴητον/εἶτον | σεσοφῐσμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην | σεσοφῐσμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν | σεσοφῐσμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε | σεσοφῐσμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν | |||||
| imperative | σεσόφῐσο | σεσοφῐ́σθω | σεσόφῐσθον | σεσοφῐ́σθων | σεσόφῐσθε | σεσοφῐ́σθων | |||||||
| active | middle/passive | ||||||||||||
| infinitive | σεσοφῐκέναι | σεσοφῐ́σθαι | |||||||||||
| participle | m | σεσοφῐκώς | σεσοφῐσμένος | ||||||||||
| f | σεσοφῐκυῖᾰ | σεσοφῐσμένη | |||||||||||
| n | σεσοφῐκός | σεσοφῐσμένον | |||||||||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Pluperfect: ἐσεσοφῐ́κειν, ἐσεσοφῐ́σμην
| number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
| active | indicative | ἐσεσοφῐ́κειν, ἐσεσοφῐ́κη |
ἐσεσοφῐ́κεις, ἐσεσοφῐ́κης |
ἐσεσοφῐ́κει(ν) | ἐσεσοφῐ́κετον | ἐσεσοφῐκέτην | ἐσεσοφῐ́κεμεν | ἐσεσοφῐ́κετε | ἐσεσοφῐ́κεσᾰν | ||||
| middle/ passive |
indicative | ἐσεσοφῐ́σμην | ἐσεσόφῐσο | ἐσεσόφῐστο | ἐσεσόφῐσθον | ἐσεσοφῐ́σθην | ἐσεσοφῐ́σμεθᾰ | ἐσεσόφῐσθε | ἐσεσοφῐ́σᾰτο | ||||
| Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
| ||||||||||||
Synonyms
- σοφῐστῐάω (sophĭstĭáō, “play the sophist”)
- σοφῐ́στεύω (sophĭ́steúō, “play the sophist, instruct”)
- σοφόω (sophóō, “σοφίζω, make wise, instruct, devise”)
Derived terms
- ἀντῐσοφίζομαι (antĭsophízomai)
- ἀσόφῐστος (asóphĭstos)
- δῐᾰσοφίζομαι (dĭăsophízomai)
- ἐπῐσοφίζομαι (epĭsophízomai)
- κᾰτᾰσοφίζομαι (kătăsophízomai)
- πᾰρᾰσοφίζομαι (părăsophízomai)
- περισοφίζομαι (perisophízomai)
Related terms
- σόφῐσμᾰ (sóphĭsmă)
- σοφῐσμός (sophĭsmós)
- σοφῐστείᾱ (sophĭsteíā)
- σοφῐστέον (sophĭstéon)
- σοφῐστήρῐον (sophĭstḗrĭon)
- σοφῐστής (sophĭstḗs)
- σοφῐστῐάω (sophĭstĭáō)
- σοφῐστῐκός (sophĭstĭkós)
References
- “σοφίζω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- σοφίζω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
- G4679 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible