philosophaster

[ fi-los-uh-fas-ter, fi-los-uh-fas-ter ]
/ fɪˌlɒs əˈfæs tər, fɪˈlɒs əˌfæs tər /

noun

a person who has only a superficial knowledge of philosophy or who feigns a knowledge he or she does not possess.

Origin of philosophaster

1605–15; < Late Latin: a bit of a philosopher. See philosopher, -aster1

Example sentences from the Web for philosophaster

  • The philosophaster's object was not to instruct, but to befool his hearers, as every page attests.

    The Basis of Morality |Arthur Schopenhauer