First Known Use: 1777
Dictionary
amateur
noun am·a·teur \ˈa-mə-(ˌ)tər, -ˌtu̇r, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌchu̇r, -chər\
: a person who does something (such as a sport or hobby) for pleasure and not as a job
: a person who does something poorly : a person who is not skillful at a job or other activity
Full Definition of AMATEUR
2
: one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession
3
: one lacking in experience and competence in an art or science
— amateur adjective
— am·a·teur·ish \ˌa-mə-ˈtər-ish, -ˈt(y)u̇r-, -ˈchu̇r-, -ˈchər-\ adjective
— am·a·teur·ish·ly adverb
— am·a·teur·ish·ness noun
— am·a·teur·ism \ˈa-mə-ˌtər-ˌi-zəm, -ˌt(y)u̇r-, -ˌchu̇r-, -ˌchər-; -ˌtə-ˌri-, -ˌchə-ˌri-\ noun
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Examples of AMATEUR
- She played soccer as an amateur before turning professional.
- These photos were taken by both amateurs and professionals.
- The people running that company are a bunch of amateurs.
- Only amateurs make this kind of mistake.
Origin of AMATEUR
French, from Latin amator lover, from amare to love
Related to AMATEUR
- Synonyms
- dabbler, dilettante, hobbyist, layman, nonexpert, nonprofessional, potterer, putterer, tinkerer
- Antonyms
- authority, expert, pro, professional, specialist
Synonym Discussion of AMATEUR
amateur, dilettante, dabbler, tyro mean a person who follows a pursuit without attaining proficiency or professional status. amateur often applies to one practicing an art without mastery of its essentials <a painting obviously done by an amateur>; in sports it may also suggest not so much lack of skill but avoidance of direct remuneration <remained an amateur despite lucrative offers>. dilettante may apply to the lover of an art rather than its skilled practitioner but usually implies elegant trifling in the arts and an absence of serious commitment <had no patience for dilettantes>. dabbler suggests desultory habits of work and lack of persistence <a dabbler who started novels but never finished them>. tyro implies inexperience often combined with audacity with resulting crudeness or blundering <shows talent but is still a mere tyro>.
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