amateur
UK /ˈæ.mə.tə/ · US /ˈæ.mə.t͡ʃɚ/ noun, adjective
Forms amateurs
- noun (now rare) A lover of something.
- noun A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, science, or art (such as music or painting), especially one who cultivates any study, interest, taste, or attachment without engaging in it professionally. “The contest is only open to amateurs.”
- noun Someone who is unqualified or insufficiently skillful. “The entire thing was built by some amateurs with screwdrivers and plywood.”
- adjective Non-professional.
- adjective Created, done, or populated by amateurs or non-professionals. “amateur sports”
- adjective Showing a lack of professionalism, experience or talent. “Duct tape is a sure sign of amateur workmanship.”
Synonyms
hobbyist dabbler dilettante punk recreational unpaid amateurish inexpert unskilled
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from French amateur, from Latin amātor (“lover”), from amāre (“to love”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; esp. one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.
Etymology [F., fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “amateur”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details