amateur

am·a·teur

Use amateur in a sentence

noun

An amateur is an individual who is new to, or not yet skilled in, a particular skill or sport.
An example of an amateur is someone who enjoys and studies astronomy as a hobby but not as a professional.
The definition of an amateur is someone who plays a sport but does not receive compensation for it.
An example of an amateur are many of the athletes in the Olympics.

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"Amateur." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur.

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Amateur. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur

amateur

a person who engages in some art, science, sport, etc. for the pleasure of it rather than for money; a nonprofessional; specif., an athlete who is variously forbidden by rule to profit from athletic activity
a person who does something without professional skill
a person who is somewhat unskillful

Origin of amateur

French from Classical Latin amator, lover from past participle of amare, to love

of or done by an amateur or amateurs
being an amateur or made up of amateurs
amateurish

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"Amateur." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur.

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Amateur. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur

amateur

noun

One who engages in an art, science, study, or athletic activity as a pastime rather than as a profession.
Sports An athlete who has never accepted money, or who accepts money under restrictions specified by a regulatory body, for participating in a competition.
One lacking the skill of a professional, as in an art.

adjective

Of or performed by an amateur.
Made up of amateurs: an amateur cast.
Not professional; unskillful.

Origin of amateur

French from Latin amātor lover from amāre to love

Related Forms:

am′a·teur·ism
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"Amateur." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur.

APA Style

Amateur. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur

amateur

amateur dabbler dilettante

These nouns mean one engaging in a pursuit but lacking professional skill: a musician who is a gifted amateur, not a professional; a dabbler in the stock market; a sculptor but a mere dilettante.

Antonym: professional

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Amateur." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur.

APA Style

Amateur. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur

Noun

(plural amateurs)

(now rare) A lover of something.
A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; especially one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.
She is an accomplished amateur woodworker.
Someone who is unqualified or insufficiently skillful.
The entire thing was built by some amateurs with screwdrivers and plywood.

Adjective

(comparative more amateur, superlative most amateur)

Non-professional.
Created, done, or populated by amateurs or non-professionals.
amateur sports
Showing a lack of professionalism, experience or talent.
Duct tape is a sure sign of amateur workmanship.

Origin

From French amateur, from Latin amātōrem (“lover”), from amāre (“to love”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"Amateur." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur.

APA Style

Amateur. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Amateur

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