sophistry

/ˈsɒ.fɪ.stɹi/

Etymology

From Middle English safistre, soffistre, sofystry, sophestrie, sophestry, sophestrye, sophistre, sophistri, sophistrie, sophistry, sophistrye, sophystrye, from Old French sofisterie, sophistrie and Medieval Latin sophistria, Anglo-Latin sophestria, from Latin sophista, from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, “wise man”), from σοφίζω (sophízō, “to be wise”), from σοφός (sophós, “wise”), equivalent to sophist + -ry.

sophistry means the actions or arguments of a sophist. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 79 out of 100.

Why this word is great

SOPHISTRY — [Noun] Plausible yet fallacious argumentation, used to deceive with elegant falsehood. From Middle English sofisterie, from Old French sofisterie and Medieval Latin sophistria, from Latin sophista ("sophist"), from Ancient Greek σοφιστής (sophistḗs, "wise man, teacher for pay"), from σοφός (sophós, "wise, clever"). Unlike casuistry, which dissects moral particulars with dubious precision, or sophistication, which denotes worldly refinement without inherent deceit, sophistry is the broader, cynical craft of making the weaker argument seem the stronger. It is the politician’s statistic stripped of context, the advertiser’s sleek slogan that manufactures a need, the lover’s eloquent excuse that feels wrong even as it seduces—the polished surface of a lie, proving the most dangerous falsehoods wear the tailored suit of logic.

noun

The actions or arguments of a sophist.“Such conduct is at any rate not sophistical, if Aristotle be right in describing sophistry as the art of making money.”
Plausible yet fallacious argumentation or reasoning.
An argument that seems plausible, but is fallacious or misleading, especially one devised deliberately to be so.“And so he reasoned until the first generous impulse to proclaim the truth and relinquish his titles and his estates to their rightful owner was forgotten beneath the mass of sophistries which self-interest had advanced.”