amateur

American  

[am-uh-choor, -cher, -ter, am-uh-tur] / ˈæm əˌtʃʊər, -tʃər, -tər, ˌæm əˈtɜr /

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 British  

/ -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

• amateurism noun
• proamateur adjective

Etymology

Origin of amateur

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

Example Sentences

He reached the pinnacle of his sport as an amateur, winning gold at the 1968 Summer Olympics, and then climbed the mountain again as a pro.

From The Wall Street Journal

But that event was for amateurs, a point on which the International Olympic Committee would not budge.

From Los Angeles Times

The Dubois bout suggested Joshua is in decline, the toil of 33 professional fights after an amateur career eroding his powers.

From BBC

Beyond his 28 wins and four losses as a professional, Joshua had more amateur fights by the age of 21 than Paul has had in his whole career.

From The Wall Street Journal

This time, he tantalizes us with the milieu of nightclub self-expression and a group of regular amateurs Alex gets comfortable hanging with.

From Los Angeles Times