Definition of sophomore

The origin of the word "sophomore" dates back to the 1820s, specifically to Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At that time, the College had a four-year undergraduate program, divided into two parts or "courses." The first two years, comprising the freshman and sophomore courses, were aimed at providing students with a broad liberal arts education. The term "sophomore" was coined to describe students who had completed their first two years of study and had progressed beyond the ranks of freshmen. The word comes from the Greek σοφοσ (sophos), meaning "wise" or "skilled," and was chosen to reflect the intellectual and academic advancement of these students. Over time, the word "sophomore" came to be applied to second-year students in other educational institutions as well, both in the United States and abroad.