[Ads-l] "sophomoric" (1810)

[dave@wilton.net]

In the sophistry sense; there are older instances of it as an adjective referring to a second-year student. The OED has 1837.
 
“Governor Gerry’s Speech.” Boston Patriot (Massachusetts), 23 June 1810, 2/3. Readex: America’s Historical Newspapers.

We think it justifies the popular opinion of the learning, the genius, and the abilities of this statesman [i.e. Elbridge Gerry] of forty years—While the boyish pedantry, the foppish learning, the sophomoric rant, the college style, and the garish metaphors of his predecessor [i.e., Christopher Gore] are forgotten.
 

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