What does amateur mean?

Definitions for amateur
ˈæm əˌtʃʊər, -tʃər, -tər, ˌæm əˈtɜram·a·teur

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word amateur.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. amateurnoun

    someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime

  2. amateuradjective

    an athlete who does not play for pay

  3. amateur, recreational, unpaidadjective

    engaged in as a pastime

    "an amateur painter"; "gained valuable experience in amateur theatricals"; "recreational golfers"; "reading matter that is both recreational and mentally stimulating"; "unpaid extras in the documentary"

  4. amateurish, amateur, inexpert, unskilledadjective

    lacking professional skill or expertise

    "a very amateurish job"; "inexpert but conscientious efforts"; "an unskilled painting"

Wiktionary

  1. amateurnoun

    A lover of something.

  2. amateurnoun

    A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; especially one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.

    She is an accomplished amateur woodworker.

  3. amateurnoun

    Someone who is unqualified or insufficiently skillful.

    The entire thing was built by some amateurs with screwdrivers and plywood.

  4. amateuradjective

    Non-professional.

  5. amateuradjective

    Created, done, or populated by amateurs or non-professionals.

    amateur sports

  6. amateuradjective

    Showing a lack of professionalism, experience or talent.

    Duct tape is a sure sign of amateur workmanship.

  7. Etymology: From amateur, from amatorem, from amare.

Wikipedia

  1. Amateur

    An amateur (from French 'one who loves') is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist.

ChatGPT

  1. AMATEUR

    An amateur refers to a person who engages in an activity, profession, or sport primarily as a hobby or without having any formal training or extensive experience in the field. Amateurs typically participate in an activity for personal enjoyment, self-improvement, or recreational purposes, rather than for monetary gain or professional success. They may have a genuine interest in the activity and may invest time and effort to pursue it, but they lack the expertise, qualifications, or dedication that professionals possess.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Amateurnoun

    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

  2. Etymology: [F., fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love.]

Wikidata

  1. Amateur

    An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science in a non-professional or unpaid manner. Amateurs often have little or no formal training in their pursuits, and many are autodidacts. Amateurism can be seen in both a negative and positive light. Since amateurs often do not have formal training, some amateur work may be considered sub-par. For example, amateur athletes in sports such as basketball, baseball or football are regarded as having a lower level of ability than professional athletes. On the other hand, an amateur may be in a position to approach a subject with an open mind and in a financially disinterested manner. An amateur who dabbles in a field out of casual interest rather than as a profession or serious interest, or who possesses a general but superficial interest in any art or a branch of knowledge, is often referred to as a dilettante. The lack of financial benefit can also be seen as a sign of commitment to an activity; and until the 1970s the Olympic rules required that competitors be amateurs. Receiving payment to participate in an event disqualified an athlete from that event, as in the case of Jim Thorpe. In the Olympics, this rule remains in place for boxing.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Amateur

    am′at-ūr, or am-at-ār′, n. one who cultivates a particular study or art for the love of it, and not professionally: in general terms, one who plays a game for pleasure, as distinguished from a professional who plays for money—nearly every game has its special definition to meet its own requirements.—adjs. Amateur; Amateur′ish, imperfect and defective, as the work of an amateur rather than a professional hand.—adv. Amateur′ishly.—ns. Amateur′ishness; Amateur′ism, Amateur′ship. [Fr.—L. amator, a lover, amāre, to love.]

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Adjectives Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'amateur' in Adjectives Frequency: #908

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce amateur?

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of amateur in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of amateur in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of amateur in a Sentence

  1. Tiger Woods:

    I disagree with it, i think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position. Some players have never got a chance to even experience it. They’ve gone right from the amateur ranks right into that organization. And never really had a chance to play out here and what it feels like to play a tour schedule or play in some big events.

  2. Mary Norine Walsh:

    It should depend on your individual risk factors and personal preference, maybe a group of younger individuals might not consider it, whereas a more middle-age group of amateur athletes might think about it more carefully.

  3. Lorena Ochoa:

    It's going to be a great motivation for the new generations, this is as big as a tournament that you have in your mind — the U.S. Amateur, or the Olympics — that you dream that you want to win.

  4. Paige MacKenzie:

    I think Augusta National Women Amateur have always sought the big spotlight, augusta National Women Amateur want the center court at Wimbledon, Augusta National Women Amateur want the main stage and now Augusta National Women Amateur have Augusta National Women Amateur.

  5. Ricky Hatton:

    Goodbye amateur boxing now as far as I'm concerned. Can't say I'm a fan of this.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

amateur#1#1935#10000

Translations for amateur

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"amateur." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 14 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/amateur>.

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