sophy

Noun (1)

sophy (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) wisdom, knowledge, learning
   • It had ben) beter to haue kepte the same sophiecirca 1440: John Capgrave, The Life of St Katharine of Alexandria, verses 1,020–1,021 (published in 1893 by the Early English Text Society)
   • 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.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

Noun (2)

sophy (plural sophies)

1. (obsolete) A wise man; a sage.
   • 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...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...
   • These Sophies finde with the Babe Iesus, onely Marie.1596, Henoch Clapham, A Briefe of the Bibles Historie Drawne into English Poesy, volume 2, page 127

Noun (3)

UK/ˈsɒfɪ/

sophy (plural sophies)

1. Any one of the various fields of study whose names end in -sophy.
   • The various sophy’s — cosmosophy, kerdosophy.ante 1843: Robert Southey, Common-place Book, volume 4, page 578 (1851 publication)
   • Francis Moyen was, as here described, an interesting character in his way; a sparkling, talented, thoughtless Parisian, full of adventure and, with his beloved violin in his baggage, ever on the wing. Voltaire and Boileau were winning the world in those days. Moyen, like every young man of the...1869, Contemporary Review, volume 11, page 456

Proper noun capitalized: Sophy

Sophy

1. A diminutive of the female given name Sophia.
   • I knew Sophy was a good girl, and would not fall in love to make me angry.1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones

Noun (4) capitalized: Sophy

UK/ˈsəʊfi/

Sophy (plural Sophies)

1. (archaic) Archaic form of Safawi (“a member of the Safavid dynasty”).
   • The great tent on the lawn, wherein presently we are to sup,—blue and yellow without, and within all braveries of tapestry and of table service,—suggests a state pavilion of the Sophy camped for glittering war.1899, Richard Whiteing, No. 5 John street, New York: Century, →OCLC, page 281