sophisticate

1.

/səˈfɪstɪkɪt/

a person who is cultured and has worldly experience

2.

/səˈfɪstəˌkeɪt/

make less natural or innocent

Other forms: sophisticated; sophisticates; sophisticating

To sophisticate is to make someone or something less innocent. A sophisticate is also a worldly, cultured person.

The root soph in sophisticate has to do with knowledge, and if a person gets sophisticated, they learn new things, especially about the social world. Parents sophisticate their children by teaching them table manners. Going to college sophisticates many people by exposing them to new ideas and other cultures. After becoming sophisticated, people are less natural and innocent, but more cultured. A sophisticate is also a worldly person. Sophisticates do things like go to the opera and drink fine wine.

Definitions of sophisticate (/səˈfɪstɪkɪt/)

1. noun

   a worldly-wise person
   synonyms: man of the world

   types:

   cosmopolitan, cosmopolite

   a sophisticated person who has traveled in many countries

   slicker

   a person with good manners and stylish clothing

   city boy, city slicker

   a city dweller with sophisticated manners and clothing

   globetrotter, world traveler

   someone who travels widely and often

   type of:

   adult, grownup

   a fully developed person from maturity onward