amateurism

[ am-uh-choo-riz-uhm, -tyoo-, -chuh-, -tuh-, am-uh-tur-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. the practice, quality, or character of an amateur or amateurish performance.

Other Words From

• pseudo·ama·teur·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of amateurism¹

First recorded in 1865–70; amateur + -ism

Example Sentences

The ruling itself is limited, but Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s fiery concurring opinion opens the door to broader and bolder lawsuits, ones that might spell the end of amateurism as we know it in college sports.

From FiveThirtyEight

As long as the NCAA remains rigid and exploitative in its interpretation of amateurism, the organization doesn’t merit much trust.

From Washington Post

“Where the NCAA goes wrong is in suggesting that the analysis should be based on its own perspective of what it thinks supports amateurism, because amateurism is not its own free-floating ideal under the antitrust laws,” she said.

From Washington Post

Her usual compatriot Kagan, however, seemed to dismiss what she termed “awfully high-minded” rhetoric from the NCAA about amateurism and focused on the organization’s monopoly status.

From Washington Post

The relaunch of the football series comes as the amateurism model that has long ruled college sports faces legal and political attacks on multiple fronts.

From Washington Post

If the arc of history does in fact bend towards justice, eventually amateurism will leave college sports once and for all.

From The Daily Beast

Thorpe was immediately defended around the world as a scapegoat to the elitist—and already hollow—code of amateurism.

From The Daily Beast

By 1982 the Olympic ideal of amateurism was as good as dead.

From The Daily Beast

Exclamation points must be used sparingly: a row of three or four of them at the end of a sentence is a sign of amateurism.

From Project Gutenberg

But in every branch of politics and some departments of science it was an age of amateurism.

From Project Gutenberg