Sophomore
mid 17th century: perhaps from earlier sophumer, from sophum, sophom (obsolete variants of sophism) + -er1.
wiktionary
From earlier sophumer, from the obsolete sophom(“sophism or dialectical exercise”), likely influenced by Ancient Greek σοφός(sophós, “wise”) + μωρός(mōrós, “fool”). Compare oxymoron(literally “sharp-dull”), a similar contradiction.
etymonline
sophomore (n.)
1680s, "student in the second year of university study," literally "arguer," altered from sophumer (1650s), from sophume, an archaic variant form of sophism, ultimately from Greek sophistēs "a master of one's craft; a wise or prudent man, one clever in matters of daily life."
The modern form probably is by folk etymology derivation from Greek sophos "wise" + mōros "foolish, dull" (see moron).
The original reference of the "arguer" name might be to the dialectic exercises that formed a large part of education in the middle years. At Oxford and Cambridge, a sophister (from sophist with spurious -er as in philosopher) was a second- or third-year student (what Americans would call a "junior" might be a senior sophister).
