sophomore

1 of 2

noun

soph·​o·​more ˈsäf-ˌmȯr 

also ˈsȯf-

or ˈsä-fə-

or ˈsȯ-fə-

: a student in the second year at college or a 4-year secondary school

sophomore

2 of 2

adjective

: being or associated with the second in a series

their sophomore album

Examples of sophomore in a Sentence

Noun

She's a sophomore in high school.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hartman cleared the cross to Jackson, setting up a shot that the sophomore has made countless times. —Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026

The Gators have three high-quality starting pitchers in junior Liam Peterson and sophomores Aidan King and Cooper Walls. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026

Adjective

Aguilera was a sophomore political science major at Texas A&M who would have turned 20 years old on Jan. 25. —Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026

The first time Patrick Thaw saw his University of Michigan friends together since sophomore year ended was bittersweet. —Makiya Seminera, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

earlier sophy mor, soph-mor, probably from sophom, sophem, sophyme (early Modern English variants of sophism) + -or entry 1; later reanalyzed as Greek sophós "clever, wise" + -o- + mōrós "foolish, stupid"

First Known Use

Noun

1688, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1953, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sophomore

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

sophomore

noun

soph·​o·​more

ˈsäf-ˌmō(ə)r, 

-ˌmȯ(ə)r;

ˈsäf-ᵊm-ˌō(ə)r, 

-ˌȯ(ə)r

: a student in his or her second year at a 4-year high school or college