amateur

[am-uh-choor, -cher, -ter, am-uh-tur]

noun

1. a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.

2. an athlete who has never competed for payment or for a monetary prize.

   Synonyms: nonprofessional

3. a person inexperienced or unskilled in a particular activity.

   Hunting lions is not for amateurs.

   Synonyms: novice, tyro, dilettante

4. a person who admires something; devotee; fan.

   an amateur of the cinema.

adjective

1. characteristic of or engaged in by an amateur; nonprofessional.

   an amateur painter; amateur tennis.

amateur

/ -tʃə, ˌæməˈtɜː, ˈæmətə, -ˌtjʊə /

noun

1. a person who engages in an activity, esp a sport, as a pastime rather than professionally or for gain

2. an athlete or sportsman

3. a person unskilled in or having only a superficial knowledge of a subject or activity

4. a person who is fond of or admires something

5. (modifier) consisting of or for amateurs

   an amateur event

adjective

1. amateurish; not professional or expert

   an amateur approach

Other Word Forms

• proamateur adjective
• amateurism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of amateur¹

1775–85; < French, Middle French < Latin amātor lover, equivalent to amā- (stem of amāre to love) + -tor -tor, replaced by French -teur (< Latin -tōr-, oblique stem of -tor ); -eur

Word History and Origins

Origin of amateur¹

C18: from French, from Latin amātor lover, from amāre to love

Example Sentences

Around the world, everyone from diplomats to amateur sleuths chased the usual questions of means and motive.

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At just 14, Nassar helped change German amateur boxing regulations so she could compete in long sleeves and a headscarf.

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Early on, my dad had performed stand-up at New Jersey clubs on amateur nights.

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When Anna Fleming complained in a TikTok video that Honda had “ghosted” her after promising to replace her broken-down car, an army of amateur consumer advocates flooded Honda with demands for justice.

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He impressed in youth amateur sumo competitions, and fled to Germany with his family after Russia's invasion.

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