Quick Definition
σοφός, ή, όν Adj wise
Strong's Definition
akin to saphes (clear); wise (in a most general application)
KJV Usage: wise. Compare 5429
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ή, όν | σοφίζω
28.9 · Know · Know
skillful, expert pertaining to specialized knowledge resulting in the skill for accomplishing some purpose In some languages one may render the phrase ‘expert builder’ (1CO 3:10) as ‘one who knew just how to build best.’
adjc. | -οῦ | σοφίζω
32.35 · Understand · Capacity for Understanding
one who is wise, wise man a person of professional or semi-professional status who is regarded as particularly capable in understanding the philosophical aspects of knowledge and experience
MAT 11:25 · MAT 23:34 · LUK 10:21 · 1CO 1:19 · 1CO 1:20 · 1CO 1:26 · 1CO 1:27 · 1CO 6:5
1 1CO 1:20 It is possible to interpret σοφός in 1CO 1:20 as meaning merely ‘wise’ and thus referring to someone who is particularly wise in behavior, but in combination with the term γραμματεύς, σοφός would appear to have a more highly specialized meaning.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σοφός, -7, -dv, (akin to σαφής and to the Lat. sapio, sapiens, sapor, ‘to have a taste’, etc.; Curtius § 628; [Vanitek p. 9917), Sept. for ὉΞΠ; [fr. Theogn., Pind., Aeschyl. down]; wise, i. e. a. skilled, expert: εἴς τι, Ro. xvi. 19; of artificers (cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap. [vii. 21] p. 151): ἀρχιτέκτων, 1 Co. iii. 10; Is. iii. 3, (δημιουργός. of God, Xen. mem. 1, 4, 7). b. wise, i.e. skilled in letters, cultivated, learned: Ro. i. 14, 22; of the Greek philosophers (and orators, see σοφία, a.), 1 Co. i. 19 sq. 26 54.; iii. 18 sq. [20]; of the Jewish theologians, Mt. xi. 25; Lk. x. 21; of Christian teachers, Mt. xxiii. 34. c. wise in a practical sense, i. 6. one who in action is governed by piety and integrity: Eph. y. 15; Jas. iii.13; and accordingly is a suitable per son to settle private quarrels,1Co.vi.5. d. wise in a philosophic sense, forming the best plans and using the best means for their execution: so of God, Ro. xvi. 27, and Ree. in 1 Tim. i. 17; Jude 25; σοφώτερον, contains more wisdom, is more sagaciously thought out, 1 Co. i. 25.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σοφός sophos 20x
wise generally, 1 Cor. 1:25; shrewd, clever, Rom. 16:19; 1 Cor. 3:10; 6:5; learned, intelligent, Mt. 11:25; Rom. 1:14, 22; 1 Cor. 1:19, 20, 26, 27; 3:18; in NT divinely instructed, Mt. 23:34; furnished with Christian wisdom, spiritually enlightened, Jas. 3:13; all wise, Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 25
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
σοφός, -ή, -όν
[in LXX chiefly for חָכָם ;]
skilled, clever, wise, whether in handicraft, the affairs of life, the sciences or learning: Ro 16:19, I Co 3:10; of the learned, Ro 1:14, 22, I Co 1:19, 20, 26, 27 3:18-20; of Jewish teachers, Mt 11:25, Lk 10:21; Christian, Mt 23:34; of those endowed with practical wisdom, I Co 6:5, Eph 5:15, Ja 3:13; of God, Ro 16:27; compar., τ. μωρὸν τ. θεοῦ σοφώτερον, I Co 1:25.†
SYN.: συνετός, φρόνιμος (v.s. σοφία, SYN.)
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
σοφός (sophos) — wise. σοφός, ή, όν, skilled in any handicraft or art, clever, ἁρματηλάτας σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of a sculptor, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; even of hedgers and ditchers, [Refs]; but in this sense mostly of poets and musicians, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν κιθάρᾳ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὴν τέχνην -ώτερος[Refs 5th c.BC+]; γλώσσῃ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. clever in practical matters, wise, prudent, ὁ χρήσιμ᾽ εἰδώς, οὐχ ὁ πόλλ᾽ εἰδώς, σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; especially statesmanlike, in which sense the seven Sages were so called, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: hence, shrewd, worldly-wise, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; πολλὰ σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἃ δεῖ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: even of animals, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. πειθώ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εὐβουλία [Refs 4th c.BC+]. my little trick, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; your clever notion, [Refs]; τἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ σοφά, δάκρυα my tears, all the resources that I have, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ δίκαια, τῶν σοφῶν κρείσσω τάδε better than all craft, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σοφόν [ἐστι] with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. b more generally, learned, wise, τὸ μὲν σ. [αὐτὸν] καλεῖν ἔμοιγε μέγα εἶναι δοκεῖ καὶ θεῷ μόνῳ πρέπειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of sophists,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; universally and ideally wise, ὁ σ., τουτέστιν ὁ τὴν τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ἐπιστήμην ἔχων [Refs 3rd c.BC+] as a title, especially of lawyers or professors, [Refs 5th c.AD+]
3. subtle, ingenious, opposed to ἀμαθής [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σοφόν τοι τὸ σαφές, οὐ τὸ μὴ σαφές [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ σοφὸν οὐ σοφία wisdom overmuch is no wisdom, [Refs]; τί οὖν ἦν τοῦτ; οὐδὲν ποικίλον οὐδὲ σοφόν nothing curious or recondite, [Refs 4th c.BC+]—For the senses of ς., see [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἐν οἰωνοῖς, κιθάρᾳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περί τι or τινος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, πῶς δῆτ᾽ ἔγωγ᾽ ἂν.. Διὸς γενοίμην εὖ φρονεῖν σοφώτερο; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. of things, cleverly devised, wise, νόμος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; νοήματα, ἔπεα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάντα προσφέρων σοφά all wise sayings, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδὲν σοφὸν εἶναι shows no great wisdom, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III. adverb σοφῶς cleverly, wisely, etc., first (?) in [Refs 5th c.BC+]: comparative -ώτερον[Refs 5th c.BC+]: superlative -ώτατα[Refs 5th c.BC+] —σοφῶς, as an exclamation of applause, [Refs 1st c.AD+] (Not in Epic dialect, except in Margites [prev. cited] and as ancient [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but see at {σοφία},{σοφίζομαι}.)