-sophy

A system of thought.

Greek sophia, skill or wisdom.

The most common word in this ending is philosophy (Greek philos, loving, hence ‘love of wisdom’), the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. Others are theosophy (Greek theos, god), any of a number of philosophies maintaining that a knowledge of God may be achieved through special individual relations; and anthroposophy (Greek anthrōpos, human being), a system established by Rudolf Steiner that seeks to use mainly natural means to optimize physical and mental health and well-being. Such words form related adjectives in ‑sophic (theosophic) or ‑sophical (philosophical), and adverbs in ‑sophically (anthroposophically).