soph
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
(abbreviation of "sophister"), a title peculiar to the University of Cambridge. Undergraduates are junior SOPHS before passing their "Little Go," or first University examination,—senior SOPHS after that.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “soph” mean?
(abbreviation of "sophister"), a title peculiar to the University of Cambridge. Undergraduates are junior SOPHS before passing their "Little Go," or first University examination,—senior SOPHS after that.
Is “soph” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.