amateurism

American  

[am-uh-choo-riz-uhm, -tyoo-, -chuh-, -tuh-, am-uh-tur-iz-uhm] / ˈæm ə tʃʊˌrɪz əm, -tjʊ-, -tʃə-, -tə-, ˌæm əˈtɜr ɪz əm /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• pseudoamateurism
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of amateurism

First recorded in 1865–70; amateur + -ism

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

amateurism

Supreme Court ruled that the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism rules violated federal law, ending the NCAA’s longstanding immunity from corporate regulation.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

To critics who dismiss the project as "garage engineering" or amateurism, Terekh says she is "very proud" of their roots.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Indiana’s rise has happened as college football’s gone sideways, shedding its phony amateurism for something professionalized and completely amok.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

The Senate, which generally sneers at the amateurism of House legislation, would have its turn; if the Senate were successful, the two chambers would then have to bridge what could be substantial differences.

From Slate ● May 20, 2025

But the singing of Maggie and Clara was less than nothing, the crudest amateurism, compared to these public performances of Big James’s.

From Clayhanger by Arnold Bennett

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