sophont

plural sophonts

1. literatureAn intelligent being; a being with a base reasoning capacity roughly equivalent to or greater than that of a human being. The word does not apply to machines unless they have true artificial intelligence, rather than mere processing capacity.

   I'm honored to meet a sophont of the Soro line in person!

   1980, David Brin, Sundiver, page 50

   3 more examples

   Likewise with the psychology of intelligent species. Most sophonts indeed possess basic instincts which diverge more or less from man's. With those of radically alien motivations we have little contact.

   1966, Poul Anderson, Trouble Twisters

   Evil, they argued, could only have meaning on smaller scales, in the hurt that one sophont does to another.

   1992, Vernor Vinge, A Fire Upon the Deep, Tor Books, page 406

   Only one sophont appeared to be involved—and not a sophisticated one.

   1997, Spider Robinson, Lifehouse, Baen Books, page 2

   Synonyms: sentient